Sohma Death Angel
by theVoiceInsideYourHead
Summary: Dramangst: I cannot change what I am. For all my life, there was nothing but darkness. But to this day I am still hoping for someone to save me.
1. Prologue: Moving

A/N: Hello there everyone! Welcome to one of my rather dramatic and depressing stories! I adore this story and worked really hard on it. Tell me what you think and be honest. I'm open to criticism only if it will actually help me write better. Don't go bitching about the story if it won't do any good. Believe me, flames are not welcome. They will be thrown back to you in the form of a Molotov Cocktail.

Read and (hopefully) enjoy!

xxxxxx 

It was another typical day at the Sohma's household as the usual fight erupted between Kyo and Yuki.

"Shut up you damn cat…don't bother me. It's still early in the morning," Yuki said.

Kyo laughed loudly and said, "HA! Backing down from a challenge, huh? I thought you were better—"

Kyo never got to finish his sentence since Yuki had kicked him out of the kitchen, breaking the screen door.

"Now look what you've done. You've destroyed the door again" Yuki commented.

Kyo stormed back in the room and shouted, "YOU KICKED ME YOU STUPID RAT!!!"

Shigure poked his head out in the kitchen and said, "What's going on here?"

Tohru smiled sheepishly at Shigure and replied, "Well…Kyo and Yuki were fighting and broke the door. But don't worry, I'll fix it"

Yuki glared at Kyo and said, "See? Now Miss Honda has to clean up the mess you made"

Kyo grew a vein and shot, "Whose brilliant idea was it to kick me through the door in the first place???"

Before another fight could begin, Shigure sat down and said, "Don't worry Tohru, you don't need to do that"

Tohru's eyes bulged and started talking really fast," ButIpromisedthatIwouldworkheretoearnmykeep! Soittwouldn'tbefair—"

Shigure clapped her on the back softly and said, "It's not that. We're moving"

Kyo and Yuki stared at Shigure and shouted, "WHAT???"

xxxxxx 

Shigure sat down calmly and said, "We're moving"

Yuki finally got the words sucked in hi bran and asked, "Why?"

"Because this house is getting old and probably won't last another year with you and Kyo's fighting"

"But where will you guys stay?" Tohru asked.

"Who said you weren't coming with us?" Shigure said.

Tohru looked confused and asked, "But since you're moving into a new house, you probably wont need me anymore"

Shigure sighed and replied, "Well, one; you're a great cook and none of us know how to cook, second; who would clean the house up if Kyo and Yuki break something again, and lastly; Akito says so"

Yuki stiffened at the name as Kyo asked, "Where will be staying?"

"At Setsuko's"

"Who?" Yuki asked.

"Err…Setsuko Sohma…"

Yuki thought for a moment and said, "Oh yeah…I remember her…"

"Who the hell is Setsuko anyway?" Kyo asked.

Yuki rolled his eyes and said, "Use you brain, you stupid cat…we met her two years ago at the New Year's Ball"

Kyo stuck his fist out at Yuki and replied, "Don't try to be smart you dumb rat. You forgot her too!"

Tohru looked worried and said, "Guys? Please don't fight"

Yuki and Kyo stopped fighting and looked ashamed.

"Sorry Miss Honda" Yuki said.

Kyo rubbed his head and said quietly, "Uh…yeah…sorry…"

Shigure stood and up and raised a finger, "This is another reason why dear Tohru should come with us. Who would stop you two from fighting?"

Yuki turned to Shigure and asked, "When do we leave? Classes are coming up and—"

"Don't worry Yuki, you three won't be changing schools. Our new house is just a few blocks way from the school"

"But Shigure, why do we have to move?" Tohru asked.

"I don't really know. Akito just told me about this a week ago"

"When ARE we going leave?" Kyo asked.

"Tomorrow"

"TOMORROW???" Yuki and Kyo shouted.

"Yes. So you better get packing"

Tohru looked nervous and asked, "Um…Shigure, if Akito told you about this last week, why did you only tell us about this now?"

"I…err…forgot?" Shigure said sheepishly.

The three teens simultaneously sweatdropped.

xxxxxx 

The next day, everyone was finished packing and they took their last look at the house that they spent half their lives in, well, except for Tohru. Shigure smiled and walked to the black car that was parked in front of the house.

"You're driving?" Yuki asked Shigure.

Kyo looked horrified and exclaimed, "No way in hell am I riding in a car if he's driving!"

Then, the window rolled down and they saw Hatori on the wheel, "No way I'm letting that idiot drive my car"

Kyo, Yuki and Tohru slid into the back seat as Shigure sat in the front with Hatori.

"So Hari how's life at the Main House?" Shigure asked.

"Everything is fine. Akito is holding up well under the circumstances" Hatori replied without taking his eyes of the road.

Back with Kyo, Yuki and Tohru, the three were also having a somewhat normal conversation.

"So Kyo, Yuki, what's Setsuko like?" Tohru asked.

Yuki smiled at her and replied, "Well, we never really got to meet her since the moment that everyone entered the ballroom, Akito had ordered her to go into another room"

Kyo nodded and said, "Yeah…we were wondering about that. When Haru asked Hatori about that he didn't want to answer"

Tohru's eyes cast down and she said quietly, "Poor Setsuko…I mean, not getting to see everyone…especially on New Years"

Yuki smiled at Tohru and said soothingly, "It's okay, Miss Honda, she wont be alone anymore since we'll be there"

Tohru blushed and nodded.

Kyo looked slightly jealous and he snapped, "Get a room you two"

Yuki grew a vein and said, "Shut up, you stupid cat"

Kyo raised his fist up and shot back, "Do you want to fight you damn rat? Huh?"

In the front, Hatori was slowly starting to get annoyed and he said dangerously, "If you guys don't shut up, I'll mutilate you"

Kyo and Yuki feared for the sake of their limbs so they shut up for the rest of the trip. Half an hour later…

"Hari!" Shigure whined, "You're so mean!"

"No" Hatori replied.

"Please?" Shigure said with puppy dog eyes, "I won't crash it!"

"No…and besides, we're here" Hatori said.

"AWWW!!!"

Hatori had to slap him several times to stop him from whining. It was pissing Kyo and Yuki off like hell. I guess that plus Hatori's fury scared him to shut up. Tohru stepped out of the car and looked around. The place was amazing. It was like their old house, located in untouched Sohma Land. The difference was that this new house was way bigger. No scratch that. The house was, well…a HUGE MANSION!

Nevertheless, it was amazing.

There was garden up front and a pool in the back. Hatori smiled at Tohru's expression and led them to the front porch. He rapped the doorknocker and it opened revealing a woman in her early-twenties.

"Hello" she greeted, "You must be the Sohmas"

Tohru grinned and replied, "Yes, I'm Tohru Honda. Are you Setsuko?"

The woman smiled and replied, "Not quite. I'm actually her housekeeper, Lara Sohma. Do come in"

Tohru and the others went in and realized that it looked a lot bigger on the inside than when you look at it from the outside. Lara lead the group into a humungous living area and saw that they were not only the people there. Haru was there too.

"Hey Yuki, Kyo, Tohru" he greeted.

Lara smiled at the bunch and went into the kitchen to get some drinks.

Kyo turned to Shigure and asked, "Why in the world is that cow here?"

"I assume that he'll be staying here too" Shigure replied.

"You ASSUME???" Kyo shouted, "First you forget when we were going to leave, now don't even specifically know who we're going to live with!"

Kyo's outburst was interrupted when they heard an all too familiar voice…

"Well, well, well…has the stupid monster lost his manners for his elders?"

"Akito" Yuki murmured.

Shigure brightened up and he greeted, "Hello Akito…How are you?"

Akito snorted and said, "At least someone here shows respect to his superiors"

No spoke after that. A few minutes of silence passed and Lara came back in holding a tray that carried several glasses of Iced Tea. She looked surprised to see Akito but quickly regained her composure.

"Good Afternoon Master Akito. Please take a seat. Would you like anything to drink?" She asked.

Akito just waved her away and sat down. He motioned for everybody else to do the same and began talking.

"As Shigure might have told you, we are going to destroy your old house to build a new Sohma Estate in its place"

Kyo slumped in his seat and glared at Shigure and everyone else in the room.

"You will be staying here along with Hatsuharu…I presume that there will be no troubles concerning the rooms since there are over 13 bedrooms here for the guests. That will be all"

Akito stood up and left. The rest of the gang was still suffering from emotion withdrawal. Throughout Akito's speech everyone managed to keep his or her faces straight. If you would look at it, it would seem funny. But then again, if would ever be graced with Akito's presence that would certainly suck all the happiness from you.

"Aw man…does the damn cow have to be here too?" Kyo said annoyingly.

Hatsuharu turned his black and white head towards Kyo and stared freakishly cold at him

Yuki sweatdropped and said, "You better shut up before he turns black again"

Haru stood up and said, "Too late"

Kyo stood up too and snapped, "You wanna fight???"

Haru slammed his fist on the table and shot back, "You took the words out of my mouth"

Kyo was about to drop kick Haru but Shigure grabbed his foot and said, "Guys, you better take this outside and talk this out like civilized men…Go on, bash each other's faces out"

As Kyo and Haru beat each other outside, Yuki was talking to Lara. She had come in shortly after Akito left.

"…So Dinner's at 8, Lunch at 12 and Breakfast whenever you want it," Lara was saying.

Yuki smiled and nodded her off.

Tohru turned to Yuki and asked, "Since there's already a cook here, what reason do I have to stay?"

Yuki smiled at her and replied, "Because we want you too…"

And that was reason enough.

xxxxxx 

PS: REVIEW DAMNIT!!! OR I'LL KILL YOUR PUPPY!!! Kidding…just review, Kay?

-SaMiE-


	2. Her Pain

YAY! Thanks to all those who reviewed! ME SO HYPER!

PUDDING!

* * *

Setsuko had been staring outside of her window when Akito had entered the room. He had placed a cold hand on her shoulder and she shut the curtains. No one would ever know what he did to her behind a closed window and a shut door. Setsuko turned around and met face to face with Akito's angry stare.

"Whoever told you that you could open the window?" Akito said in an angry voice.

Setsuko sighed answered, "No one"

He yanked her down by the hair and slapped her across the face.

"You will learn to obey everything I say! I am the God of this family and because you are apart of it, YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!"

Setsuko no longer cried or yelled curses at him. Over all the years that she stayed at the Main House, she learned to keep everything bottled. No longer would anyone see her smile, laugh or even cry. Her emotions were her weakness and Akito knew that. As long as she could feel, he knew that he could hurt her to his extent. She may now show it, but inside her heart had been shattered into a million pieces. Pain, anger, regrets…all those things make up what she is. Setsuko feels everything Akito throws at her but never will she show that it hurts her.

Years ago when she was still about 4 years old, she lived a happy and a normal life…she had parents, sisters…she had a family. But all that changed when she learned that she was not all she seemed to be…

Flashback… 

A young girl with short dark brown hair and bright silver eyes ran around a wet field getting her white cotton dress dirty as her 25 year old father chased her. He finally caught her and both of them plunged into the muddy grass.

"DADDY! You got my dress dirty!" A young Setsuko exclaimed.

Her father laughed and made stuck his tongue out, "You threw mud at me first"

Setsuko made a pouted face and crossed her arms. Her dad laughed and heard his wife say, "Sometimes I wonder why you call yourself an adult"

The man laughed, "But you love me"

His wife rolled her eyes and replied, "Yes…unfortunately"

He pretended to be hurt and tackled her to the floor. All this was watched by a little girl whose life was about to be shattered by one accident…

xxx

Weeks later, her mom and dad left her to the care of a babysitter because they were going to a business meeting. Late that night, the phone rang at Setsuko's house. There was an accident that left two of the car's passengers dead. Her babysitter dropped the phone and wasn't able to say anything. Suddenly, Setsuko disappeared. Literally. The next thing Setsuko knew she was in an empty hospital. She saw her parents in one of the rooms looking scared. They looked even more terrified when they saw her. She was wearing an all black gown and her eyes looked slightly confused.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Her mom and dad smiled sadly at her and a deep voice sounded from behind her, "Hello Setsuko"

She turned around and saw a man in his late thirties smiling sadly, "Have you told her yet?"

Setsuko's mom shook her head and said, "I hoped it wasn't true"

Setsuko looked afraid and asked, "What wasn't true mommy?"

Her dad gave the same look to her as the man and said, "You see Setsuko…you're part of the Sohmas right? Our family has held this curse for hundreds of years…some of the members had the curse of the zodiac…they would turn into animals…. Akito, your cousin, got the core of the curse and he is supposed to die…but you…I still can't believe it…"

The man behind her smiled, "Yes…those were what they said…but Akito isn't the person with the real core of our curse…it was you…he was just supposed to die early but you, Setsuko…you are immortal…you are the Death Angel…"

Setsuko scrunched up her forehead and asked, "What do you mean…Death Angel?"

Her mom spoke this time, "I was afraid the you would be chosen…you see honey, whenever a member of our family dies you will have to get their souls and send them to the other side…you will not die unless a new Death Angel is born…"

Setsuko began to cry, "Then you guys are…?"

The man behind her nodded his head and said, "Yes Setsuko…the curse of being the Death Angel has been passed on to you….I still can't believe it. You're just a child …"

Setsuko could not believe it…she was the person who was supposed to completely kill her parents…it was not fair…until this day, the memory of herself sending her own parents across the threshold was bored on her mind forever…

End of Flashback 

xxx

Setsuko lied down on her bed feeling new bruises formed from Akito's visit. Could you imagine her pain? She can't die unless a new Death Angel was born…her pain was just the start, imagine the emotional wreck she is when she send people over to the other side while she hears that person's family scream in her sleep.

It's not her fault. Let me ask you, if you were in her position would even find the strength to stand up each day? Would go on living when every time someone dies, you will be the person responsible for truly killing them? That's why Akito hates her so much. He knows that when he dies, Setsuko will eventually send him permanently away from this world.

No matter what she does, she will not die. She's tried cutting and even taking an overdose of sleeping pills, but she's still here. Whenever she feels that blade slice unto her already pale skin, she thinks as if it would lessen the pain that she feels inside. It would take away the emotional suffering that it eating her from inside. It may not be the best thing to do but how else would she cope? She's not even allowed to look outside into the world…how can she deal with stress? It's a miracle she even surpasses all the torture that Akito puts her through.

But every time that she even makes an attempt to stop cutting herself, all the sadness and anger pent up inside her seem to build with every single second. After all, she only 16…she herself doesn't understand why she had to go through all this pain. The only reason that she could even come up with was that God had forsaken her for some unknown mortal sin that she did.

Setsuko was not even allowed to go to school. Ever since she found out that she was the Death Angel, Akito forbade her to see other people or meet other people. Though she never went to school, she's actually very smart. Even smarter than Yuki.

Akito never really forgave her for being the real person with the real core of the curse. He always thought that one day, she would take everyone away from him. So instead, he did that to her. He practically cut her off from human contact. The only person who was allowed to see her was himself and Hatori. But regardless of everything Akito did to her, she would not break. And that gave him more reason to hurt her.

Setsuko rubbed her head and punched the wall, 'I'm thinking too much'

She walked over to the vanity and looked at herself in the mirror. There were several bruises on her arms, legs and one on the side of her neck. She was about to press the button for the intercom on the dresser when she noticed a typewritten letter sticking out from a drawer. She pulled it out and opened it. It was a letter from Hatori.

'What the hell does he want?' Setsuko thought.

'_Dear Setsuko,_

_I've had a talk with Akito-sama and he has finally agreed to let you go to a public high school. The schedules for your classes are included in the envelope and all your textbooks are in the drawer. The school that you will be going to is the same one as Yuki and the others. Do not think that this is another form of punishment, Akito-sama would not a agree at first but I finally convinced him enough that you WILL need to get decent schooling other than the shit that they teach you at home._

Hatori Sohma 

'Is Akito out of his fucking mind? After locking me up for sixteen years, he finally decides to let me go to school? The evil bastard had something planned…I just know it'

Setsuko roughly pulled open the black drawer and true to his word, new textbooks were inside. Setsuko picked up a hard bound copy and snorted. 'Advanced Calculus? Oh God…that's a laugh…I've already finished this book without the help of—quote Hatori—the shit they teach me at home…wherever home is anyway…'

She shoved the drawer back in place and looked at the table beside her bed. There was picture frame with two adults in matching pajamas and a little girl with high pigtails in a long t-shirt. That was taken two weeks before the accident that happened with her parents. It was the last memory she had of them. Akito had told Hatori to erase all her happy memories of her mother and father but he failed to burn that last picture that was still in the photo shop. When Setsuko saw that, everything came flooding back. The happiness, the tears and the pain…the memories that Akito tried to suppress.

Setsuko suddenly remembered something her mom told her before, "Always remember to feel because that is the essence of your being that will make you alive…human or not"

For the second time, she snorted again and thought, 'I'm not allowed to feel…but hell will prevent me form doing just that…not some overgrown baby whose going to die a decade early…haha…'

She quickly dismissed the thought and fell back on her black bed. Actually, black is her favorite color. From the start, Akito taught her to hate anything colorful or happy. He said she as not allowed to feel as they do. That she was not allowed to be happy. Would you imagine her initial shock to hear that she was not allowed to be happy? Could you stand it? It was something that Setsuko had grown accustomed to. Her emptiness was a result of her lack of sunshine and happiness.

'Well at least I'll finally get to go outside now…"

Setsuko closed her eyes and recalled on the times when her world was as complicated as it was now. She remembered those times when she could laugh and play in the sun without a care in the world. She sighed and imagined all the things she had before…this, before this hell that happened to her. All those things she took for granted but never really realized their importance. But now, because of the damn curse, she has to live with it.

A faint knock was heard at the door and a mellow voice said, "Miss Setsuko? Your dinner is here…"

A tray of food was pushed in through a small slot on the door. Setsuko grunted and looked at the tray, "Humph…why bother feeding me if I'm not going to die anyway?"

She walked over to the door and picked up the tray. She set it on her desk and pulled the curtains to side a little. The guy she had seen earlier was still there sitting on a branch of a tree.

"He's still here?" Setsuko said out loud.

After about five minutes, a girl with long brown hair walked up to the tree and shouted, "Kyo! It's time for dinner!"

Kyo looked down and replied, "I'll be right there"

Setsuko closed the curtains and said, "Kyo huh? Hmm…"

Suddenly, the necklace on Setsuko's neck began to glow red. Her clothes turned into a floor-length black gown then she disappeared into wisps of smoke.

The last thing she thought was, 'This is the reason I'm here…to bring pain. But what they don't know is I would want to take all their sufferings away to feel…for I am numb. I am nothing.'

* * *

Don't forget to review, kay?

OR THE BOOGLE MONSTER WILL GET YOU!

-ahem-the Boogle moster is a giant cockroach-like monster that eats fingernails for a living...


	3. Freezing Winter

A/N: I finally changed my penname. Samie-the-authoress sound freaky because I picked it when I was just in six grade and now that I'm nearly a sophomore, I'm changing it. Thanks to all my reviewers! I love you all! bows The chapter is depressing period. I felt sad when I wrote this so there.

Review!

xxx

Kyo jumped off the tree and ran back inside the gigantic house. Tohru, Yuki, Haru and Shigure were all around the table waiting for him.

Shigure smiled at him and asked, "Have a nice day, Kyo?"

Kyo looked at Shigure's overly happy face and retorted, "Why are you so damn happy?"

It was Yuki who answered him, "Probably because his editor doesn't know where he lives…"

In the old house with Mie… 

Mie was on her knees crying her little heart out to the note Shigure left on the door.

'Mie, I'm sorry to inform you that I have moved into a new house and I will not be coming back to see you ever again. –Shigure'

"SHIGURE! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!"

Back at the new house… 

Shigure smiled and said, "Don't worry, I mailed the manuscript to her apartment that will arrive at 4"

Yuki raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why four?"

"Because I told her to come by the house at 3:30 so when she gets back home from our old house, she'll find the manuscript"

Kyo snorted and said, "You love torturing her, don't you?"

"Well…yes"

"It was a rhetorical question"

"Then why'd you ask it?" Yuki said.

Kyo got even more pissed and snapped, "Because I felt like it you stupid rat!"

Yuki remained calm and retorted, "Will you lower your voice. You're not the only person here!"

"WHO THE HELL GIVES A DAMN!"

And that resulted in another major fight between the rat and the cat. Shigure pushed them out to the backyard so they wouldn't break anything in the house. As usual, Tohru was running back forth wondering insanely what to do.

Shigure looked at us and said, "Things never do change, do they?"

Yuki and Kyo stopped fighting and both asked, "Who are you talking to?"

xxx

Setsuko fell back unto her bed and rubbed her head tiredly. A member of the family had died again. It was Yuki's father, Ji-an. Yuki's parents were going out for groceries when a guy came up to them and demanded for their money. Since Ji-an knew martial arts, he attempted to kick the mugger's ass but ended up getting shot by a partner who was hiding. He got a bullet in the chest and was proclaimed dead on arrival at the hospital.

"I wonder what's Yuki going to do?" Setsuko thought out loud, "I need a smoke"

She reached down under her bed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She stole these from Hatori when he came for her check-up. He and Akito were actually the only people that have seen her. Setsuko lighted the stick up and inhaled a long breath. By the time that she was making smoke rings, the room was filled with smoke.

Setsuko coughed loudly and open her window a crack. All the nicotine in the air went whooshing out into her balcony and into the backyard. She put the cigarette to her lips again and took a long drag. Despite her being extremely logical, Setsuko didn't care whether she got lung cancer or not. She wouldn't die anyway. Besides, since she forced herself not to cut that frequently, all she's been doing is smoke.

Actually, she orders cigarettes on-line when Hatori didn't come. It was sort of an addiction. Though Hatori smokes, he doesn't want Setsuko to pick up on that habit. So the only think Setsuko could do was too hide her stash somewhere and spray the entire room with Lysol. Hatori never found out.

Setsuko pressed the butt on her palm and watched pain sear into her arm. She smirked and threw it in the trashcan. She recalled on what happened when she was teleported to yet another hospital.

Flashback… 

_Setsuko felt her feet plant firmly on the ground and looked around. She was in another hospital._

'_Wonder who it is this time?' Setsuko thought._

_She walked inside the emergency room and saw a man in his late forties sitting on a bed. He looked at her and asked, "I'm dead, aren't I?"_

"_You're a genius. Come with me"_

"_Do I really have to go?"_

"_Yes…unless you want to stay here in this empty plane forever"_

"_You're not making this very easy"_

"_I'm not supposed to"_

"_You know…I have a son who's about you age…I wonder what's going to happen to him and his brother? I know I wasn't a very good father, but you can't erase the fact that I love them both"_

_Setsuko looked at the man's featured closely and asked, "It's Yuki and Ayame, isn't it?"_

_The man nodded, "Yes…you know them?"_

"_Hardly…I've seen them a few times though…you should really be going…"_

"_I can't…"_

"_You have too…you have no choice"_

_The man sighed in defeat, "Okay. Let's go"_

_Setsuko nodded and grabbed the man's hand. She led him into the hallway and raised her right arm. The long sleeve of her nightgown fell and it revealed her arm covered in intricate marks on her skin. It was the mark of the Death Angel. They represented everything she was here for…pain, suffering… Then a portal suddenly grew in the empty space._

"_Ready?"_

_The man closed him eyes and stepped into the portal, "Tell them I love them"_

_Then he disappeared._

End of Flashback… 

Setsuko smirked again and asked herself, "How am I going to say that to Yuki? He doesn't even know me"

Setsuko closed the window and heard the phone ring, 'It's time…'

xxx

Lara picked up the phone, listened for a minute then shouted, "YUKI!"

Yuki ran over to her and took the phone. After a few tensed minutes, he dropped the receiver on the ground and slumped on the wall. Tohru grew worried and walked fast over to him.

"Y-Yuki?" She stuttered.

Yuki looked at her with sad eyes and rested his head on her shoulder. Tohru felt tears soaking her shirt and grasped Yuki's neck lightly (Imagine Kana and Hatori).

"Shhh…it's okay, Yuki…"

Kyo looked downcast and walked away from the scene. He felt somewhat betrayed and heartbroken at the same time. But he had no reason to be mad since he never told Tohru how he really felt. Being the cat he is, he climbed the stairs and made his way to the rooftop. Unlike their old house, this one had a whole terrace on the roof. Perfect for people like him who wanted to get away from it all.

"Damn…" Kyo muttered when he saw the rooftop.

He walked over to the side and Indian-sat on the edge. A year passed since the incident that happened to him when Kazumi pulled his bracelet off. He thought that Tohru would be able to love him as more than a friend but he was wrong. She accepted him alright but that was it. They were just friends. And the sad thing was that he could do nothing.

"Aw hell with it!" Kyo jumped down from the roof and expected to land on the ground but he found himself in a balcony on the second floor.

"Huh?" Kyo walked over to the glass window and peeked through a small crack in the curtains. The girl that he saw this morning was in there. She was lying down on the bed blowing out smoke. Kyo couldn't move, as if he were some sort of pervert. Setsuko noticed that someone was watching her so she quickly turned to the window just as Kyo jumped off.

'Him again?'

xxx

Kyo breathed in deeply and rubbed his head tiredly.

"You okay, Kyo?"

Kyo nearly jumped out of his skin and turn around.

"Haru? You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry…"

Kyo grumbled something about stupid cows and saw Tohru and Yuki under a tree. Yuki had fallen asleep on Tohru's lap.

"What happened to Yuki?" Kyo asked.

"You didn't know?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be asking you, dumbass!"

"Yuki's father died"

"WHAT?"

"Keep you voice down, you'll wake him up"

"Sorry. What happened to Ji-An?"

"Apparently, this guy was mugging them and he proceeded to beat the guys ass up"

"So, why did he die?"

"The guy had a partner with a gun"

"Damn…Poor rat"

"Yeah…good thing Tohru's here. She good for him"

Kyo felt a tug at his heart and said quietly, "Yeah she is…for him"

Haru smiled sadly and walked off. Kyo sighed and went inside. He saw the girl in the kitchen grabbing a soda from the refrigeration. She turned around and saw then quickly bolted up the stairs.

'Woah'

xxx

Yuki had cried silently on Tohru. It was true that Ji-An wasn't a very good father but he was still Yuki's father. That was the bond that connected both Yuki and Ayame to their parents. Even if they could wish that they had different fathers, they still had that love for Ji-An simply because he _is _their father. Yuki had always wanted to get closer to his father but Ji-An always pushed him away.

Deep inside, Yuki never gave up. He lingered on that one dream where his father would accept both him and his brother. Now, his dream was gone, for there was nothing left to hang on to. Ji-An was gone. And there was nothing her could do but remember and regret. Ayame felt the same but he gave up. And now he's at home wondering whatever went wrong with his family.

"Why, Miss Honda?" Yuki sobbed, "What have I done to deserve this…there is no more hope"

Tohru planted a small kiss on his forehead and whispered, "There is always hope, Yuki. I felt what you felt. But look at me, I'm still here. I'll always be here Yuki"

"I know...but…"

"You'll learn to let go…he's happy now…you have to accept that…"

"But what if I can't?"

"You can Yuki…I believe in you"

Yuki lifted his head and smiled gratefully, "How can you…trust in me like that? No has ever have.."

Tohru smiled back and replied, "Because I care Yuki…I care for you"

"Thank you…"

"Just remember, I'm here. Now and forever…even through the coldest of winters"

xxx

Setsuko quickly ran to her room and shut the door. She breathed in deeply and took another drink from her soda. Akito was in her room.

"You better learn not to run like that from people"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Don't disrespect me bitch. I'm being nice enough to let you see other people so the least you can do is follow everything I say"

Setsuko glared and imagined chopping Akito's head up, "I apologize". Every word was dripping with sarcasm.

Akito sneered, "You should be. I expect you to uphold the Sohma name even if I don't consider you one. You will learn that I do not tolerate misbehavior"

"Asshole" Setsuko muttered under her breath.

Akito finally got fed up and pushed her roughly to the wall. He grabbed one of her arms and flung her to the opposite wall. She could feel her back muscles straining to keep her standing up.

He walked over to her and whispered by her neck, "You will respect me unless…" she felt a cold finger trace its way up her leg, "…you want to be punished"

She fell to the floor as Akito walked out of the room. He threw open the door and she saw Kyo standing by the stairs. Akito pushed him out of his way and went downstairs where Hatori was waiting. Setsuko ran over and closed the door, resting her back lightly against the hard wooden surface. That was one thing he had not yet done to her. Setsuko wanted all her pain to go away, and it did. It left her numb. Unfeeling. And it was the worst feeling in the world.

She grabbed a blade from her drawer and rested it on her forearm. She slid it down. Physical pain engulfed her, soothing the numbness of her body. She needed this to feel. To remember what it felt like to actually feel something. It was her way out of the cold, bitter winter inside. That's what she is and forever will be. Freezing winter.

xxx

PS: And there it is. I don't mean to be mean to Yuki but his father had to die. It's an essential part to his relationship with Tohru and Ayame. Don't worry, he won't go suicidal. And his fights with Kyo will lessen in some future chapter but that's it.

Review!


	4. Enemy Lines

A/N: Hey there! I wanted to thank all of my wonderful reviewers! You guys give me the inspiration to write! Thanks…

And now, without further due…chapter 4!

xxx

Kyo was pushed aside and he heard a door slam shut. He turned around and saw that the room was closed, sealing off the pain and the anger within four walls. The only thing that his mind was processing was, 'What the hell did he do to her?' When Kyo had made eye contact with Setsuko, he saw something familiar in her eyes. It was a look that he himself had seen before in his own eyes. Fear.

Kyo absentmindedly scratched his orange hair and walked downstairs, coming face to face with Yuki. Yuki's eyes were slightly red and he looked exhausted.

"You okay?" Kyo asked.

Yuki smiled lightly and walked up the stairs. A slam of the door was heard a few seconds later as Kyo reached the first floor. He went back into the kitchen and looked at the clock on the wall, it was nearly midnight. He walked out into the backyard and replayed a scene in his head. It was Tohru and Yuki under the tree. No matter what he did, he still could not forget that. He knew that Tohru was best for Yuki considering what was happening to him now.

"Why can't I just forget?" Kyo asked himself suddenly.

"Maybe you not supposed to…" Lara said to him.

He didn't even turn around and asked, "Why?"

"You might not know, maybe there's another person out there waiting for you"

"But…it hurts, Lara…I feel like I'm never enough for her…since she has Yuki"

"She feels even worse than that, the girl you met today…Setsuko"

"Yeah…I saw her pain…it was the same pain I felt when I lived at the Main House…Akito treated me like a virus…keeping me locked up"

"You two would understand each other more than you know. You and Setsuko"

Kyo looked up at the moon and when he turned around again, he saw Lara's retreating back going into the house.

'Maybe she's right. I shouldn't waste my time on things like these…but…why can't I leave it alone? And what does she mean that Setsuko and I would understand each other more than we know? This is all just too confusing…'

xxx

Morning made its way into Setsuko's eyes as sunlight peered inside her room through a small crack in the curtains. A faint beeping could also be heard through out the room originating from the small digital alarm clock on her nightstand.

_5:00 AM?_ Setsuko thought grumpily, _Why the hell did I set that for---damn. School._

She pressed the button on the clock and it immediately ceased the infernal beeping.

'Stupid clock'

Setsuko stood up and yawned loudly, "Fuck…I hate Hatori for making me go to school…the only good thing about this is I'll be able to finally get out of my room…it's a good thing that time stops whenever disappear…"

She took a shower and pulled out the uniform from her closet. Before putting the blue outfit on, Setsuko cast a glamour charm on her arm to hide the marks and lines on her forearm.

…Hail Hatori for getting me a skirt that's knee length… 

Setsuko pulled on the sailor-ish outfit and looked in the mirror. She knitted her eyebrows together and snorted.

I still hate this stupid uniform… Setsuko thought while pulling on her black ankle boots. 

She sighed, slung her black backpack over her shoulder and walked out the house. It was empty for Hatori instructed everyone to leave for school earlier that usual. Shigure was somewhere in the house spying on Lara or doing something perverted. Her heels clacked on the concrete ground as she walked outside to Hatori's car.

"Hello Setsuko"

Setsuko rolled her eyes and sat in the passenger's seat. The car went into drive.

"I just have a few ground rules to straighten with you. First of all, you could and should socialize with other students just don't say anything that might relate to The Curse"

Setsuko looked at Hatori and replied, "I'm not that stupid"

"I know. And Akito wishes you to get straight A's or he will pull you out"

"I've seen the textbooks Hatori…I could go through their classes with my eyes closed"

"And lastly, whenever you get the call, be sure to return to class again. I know that you can pick the place you end up after one call, so don't go anywhere else. It might arouse suspicion when a student suddenly disappears"

"Whatever"

"We're here," Hatori said handing her a slip, "Give this to your first teacher at Room 204"

Setsuko took the paper and went out of the car. She heard Hatori zoom off seconds later.

Hmm…Room 204? Where the hell is that? 

Setsuko looked up at the school and entered through the front doors. There were only a couple of students in sight since the rest were already in their respective classes. She looked to her right and saw the number 1.

_1? It's gonna take forever to find 204…_

She saw a girl by a locker and asked her, "Where's Room 204?"

The girl turned out to be Hana, "It's on the third floor. I'm going there too"

The two girls when seen together would scare the crap out of you. They both had monotone voices and poker faces. A truly terrifying sight.

"I'm Saki Hanajima"

"Setsuko Sohma"

Hana raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you in anyway related to Kyo and Yuki Sohma?"

"Yes. They're my cousins. Far cousins actually"

Hana eyed her from head to toe and said factually, "You have similar waves but yours seems so much…"

"…darker?" Setsuko looked at Hana and finished her sentence.

"Yes" Hana replied.

The two kept on walking. A little first year actually saw them talking and scrambled away in fear. Hana and Setsuko made their way towards Room 204 and entered. Setsuko handed her slip to the teacher.

The teacher smiled and said, "Class, we seem to have a new student with us. Her name is…" She looked down at the paper, "Setsuko Sohma. Well hello there, Setsuko. You may sit next to Miss Honda"

Setsuko nodded her head and sat beside Tohru who was raising her hand happily.

"Hello Setsuko! I'm Tohru Honda"

Setsuko looked at her and nodded her head slightly. She sat down on the desk and felt many eyes on the back of her neck. She shrugged the feeling off and focused her thoughts on the window beside her desk. There was a large oak tree preventing the sunlight from hitting her desk but gave a view of the schools well-trimmed grounds.

Setsuko sighed and shifted her eyes to Yuki who was diagonally in front of her.

'_You know…he actually has a striking resemblance of his father. I heard that he looks like a younger version on Ayame too…_' Setsuko thought absently.

The teacher was droning on and on about the Tokugawa Era and the whole pretty much zoned out. Well, except for Tohru and Yuki that is. The two were lapping up all the info like a pair of dogs. Very cute dogs mind you.

Setsuko flicked her eyes away from Yuki and to Hana, who was beside her. There was something about this girl that made Setsuko think that she was no ordinary Goth…

'_Waves…that's what she said…my waves are darker than Yuki and Kyo's…maybe she's some sort of psychic…_'

Before she knew it, her first period was over. Hana stood up and walked over to her desk.

"Hey" she greeted.

Setsuko looked up and said, "Yeah?"

"We have Math next. What's your locker number?' Hana asked.

Setsuko pulled out a slip from her pocket and replied, "263"

"Good. That's next to mine"

Setsuko nodded and followed Hana out. Students were piling into the halls getting their respective textbooks out of their lockers. Kyo walked past Setsuko and their eyes met briefly. He looked away and walked back into the classroom. This slight exchange was witnessed by Kyo's Number One Fan girl, Mai Hiroto.

She strode over to Setsuko and Hana and said dangerously, "Stay away from Kyo"

Setsuko stepped forward, "Why? Are you his girlfriend?"

Mai's eyes darkened and she continued, "I know you Sohmas. You people don't care about incest"

SLAP! Mai's face turned red and she prepared to punch Setsuko in the face. Setsuko grabbed her arm and squeezed it tight. Mai crumbled to the floor in pain.

"Don't mess with me"

Setsuko slammed her locker door shut and walked inside the classroom. Her classmates were pressed against the walls and the door listening to her and Mai's argument.

"What are you doing?" Setsuko snapped.

Everybody had scrambled back into their seats in fear of Setsuko's temper. From Mai's whimper, they guessed that what happened to her was not pleasant.

"Are you okay?" Hana asked.

"Yeah. Let me guess, she's an obsessed Fan girl"

Hana smiled slightly and sat down on her desk. This time, a blond girl came up to her.

"Hey. I'm Arisa Uotani" she said, "Setsuko, right?"

"Uh-huh" Setsuko had an impassive look on her face.

Uo leaned on Hana's desk and said, "I just wanted to congratulate you"

Setsuko looked up and raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Uo smiled and simply said, "You nailed the Hiroto-bitch on the face"

Setsuko smirked and asked, "She's the rabid fan girl right?"

Hana stood by her desk, "She's even worse than the Prince Yuki Fan Club"

"Whose the Prince Yuki Fan Club?" Setsuko asked.

Yuki came over by her desk and joined the conversation, "They call themselves my loyal protectors"

"Protect you from what?"

"Tohru" Uo said, her eyes darkening.

Setsuko looked at Yuki's smiling face and imagined the strength it might have taken to even go to school after what happened to his father.

'_Probably because of Tohru…_' Setsuko thought, '_From what I can see, she's good for him_'

"So what's it like living with Carrot-top over here?" Uo asked, pointing over her thumb over her shoulder.

Kyo stood up and raised his fist in front of Uo's face, "Don't call me Carrot-top, Yankee!"

Uo took out her metal pipe, "Then don't call me Yankee"

This resulted in another fight causing Tohru to run around the room hysterically. Setsuko had to hit her on the back of her neck slightly to calm down.

"Tohru, right?"

She nodded.

"Stop doing that"

She sweatdropped.

"Miss Sohma?" their Math teacher poked his head inside the room, "The principal wants to see you"

"The bitch tattled" Uo stated.

"I sense unpleasant waves from Setsuko" Hana said.

"No shit"

xxx

"Please be seated, Miss Sohma" the principal said.

Mai was sitting opposite her looking positively dreadful. There was a red mark on her face from Setsuko's slap but it appeared that she had even gone as far to make Setsuko look bad by scratching her arms and ripping some of her clothes. Setsuko was silently seething inside.

"Miss Sohma, Miss Heiko came to me on the claim of you and Miss Uotani beating her up in the girl's bathroom"

Setsuko snorted and said, "I did not even meet Miss Uotani until after I slapped her"

"See Mr. Honda! She admits it!" Mai exclaimed.

Setsuko glared at her and she shut up.

"Is this true, Miss Sohma?"

"Yes. The slapping part, that is. I have no idea where she got the scratch marks. I assume that she did it herself to make me look bad"

"Please!" Mai said, "Why in the world would I do this to myself?"

This time, Mr. Honda glared at her, "She said that you and Miss Uotani beat her up because you were telling her to stay away from her boyfriend, Kyo Sohma"

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "Mr. Honda. Kyo may be related to me and have yet to speak to him. We have not even talked to each other, so what reason would I have to do this to her"

"It's because you have a crush on him!"

"I doubt he even is your boyfriend" Setsuko snapped, "I think that Mr. Sohma is the right person to ask if her allegations are true"

Mr. Honda nodded and pressed the intercom on his desk, "Please call for Mr. Kyo Sohma"

Setsuko settled comfortably in her seat as Mai fidgeted in hers. She knew that he parents were going to skin her alive for this. its just that she loved Kyo! She would not lose to one of his stupid cousins.

"Ah, Mr. Sohma" Mr. Honda greeted, "I just wanted to ask you one simple question and needs a simple answer"

Kyo nodded and said, "Shoot"

"Is Miss Heiko your girlfriend?"

Kyo burst into laughter and wiped the tears from his eyes, "You're joking right?"

Mai looked ready to burst into tears.

"I rest my case" Setsuko said, "there is no reason for me to even lay a finger on Miss Heiko"

"Enlighten me on why you slapped her"

"I have my reasons"

Mr. Honda sighed and said, "I still have to give you detention for that slap, Miss Sohma"

"Whatever"

"You and Mr. Sohma may leave" Mr. Honda said.

She and Kyo went out the door.

"So…Setsuko…" Kyo started.

"Yeah?" Setsuko asked.

"Nothing"

Kyo fidgeted and Setsuko sighed, "What is it?"

"I…just wanted to say that…um…"

"Spit it out"

"If you need to talk to anyone…"

"You're there" Setsuko finished, "Lara talked to you, didn't she?"

Kyo nodded and they continued to make their way towards the room, "She said the we would understand each other more than we know"

Setsuko laid her hand on the door and smiled, "She's right"

xxx

PS: AW! Kyo is sweet in this chappy! I know he's a bit OOC but he just treats Setsuko like that because he knows what its like to be lonely and pushed away…

REVIEW!

-SaMiE-


	5. Detentions and Dreams

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! Shigure gets hit twice in this chappy! Yey! And the drama is about to get lighter since I'm not that mean to everyone. Don't forget to review!

By the way, Black Angel is not mine but it was written by the great John Connolly! I just finished it last night and it was amazing! A bit on the gory and dark side but still a good read! Read on!

xxx

The rest of the day went by smoothly but Setsuko had to stay behind for her detention. It was a good thing Hana and Uo were with her. Hana had gotten detention because she failed another one of her tests claiming that the waves she read off the paper gave her bad luck. Uo just skipped class…again.

"So Setsuko, what living with Orange-top like?" Uo asked.

"I don't know really. They moved in two days ago and I've been locking myself up in my room"

Uo laughed and said, "That would be a good idea when he's fighting with the prince"

Hana sensed waves of confusion from Setsuko and offered, "The Prince is Yuki Sohma. All the girls in this school like to think of him as one"

Setsuko nodded, "The girls who were spying on him were his fan club right?"

"Yeah" Uo replied, "We get into messes with them sometime because they think Tohru is a witch and Hana is a she-devil"

Setsuko snickered, "She-devil?"

"I'm psychic" Hana said.

"That explains the waves you keep on talking about" Setsuko concluded, "And why would they think Tohru is a witch?"

Uo smiled, "They think she's using some sort of spell on Yuki to make him fall in love with her"

"That's stupid" Setsuko said.

"Exactly"

Hana looked out the window, "How long is this detention going to last?"

"An hour, I think" Uo said, yawning, "Detention is boring"

Setsuko smirked and asked, "Then why do you skip?"

Uo shrugged, "I don't really know. I get decent grades anyway even with my skipping"

Hana smiled a little, "It's sad that I can't go with her. I'm on probation until my grades go up"

Setsuko nodded and stared out the window. The sun was preparing for sunset.

'_I wonder what Lara told Kyo…to think of it, Lara may appear like some person in the background but when you take the time to look at her, you'd realize that she notices everything…_'

"So Hana, what are you reading? Something demented I'm guessing" Uo said.

Hana looked up from her book, "You might call it that. It's 'Black Angel by John Connolly'"

"Never heard of him," Uo declared, "It's because I don't read"

"I've read that book" Setsuko looked at the cover.

Uo clasped her hands in mock horror, "Oh no! Another Hana-ish person!"

Hana went back to reading, "Its sad really…how he loses his wife and daughter and now he's being hunted by a group called the 'Believers' who suck people's souls out and use their bones for sculptures"

Uo cringed, "I did not need to know that much"

Setsuko smirked, "I loved the part where Charlie sees the inside of Brightwell's trunk filled with human innards"

Uo turned green and Hana said, "Yes. Just like the time when G-Mack open the van and saw blood and organs inside. Dreadful, isn't it?"

"OH PLEASE SPARE ME!" Uo exclaimed.

You know, Setsuko is kind of like a mix between Uo and Hana. She had Hana's scary demeanor but she can have Uo's rebellious personality when she wanted to.

Before she knew it, the hour was over and the bell rang for six o'clock. Uo stretched and yawned.

"Finally!" she said, "Remind me never to ask about Black Angel…or any other book that you guys read. You're horrible! I can't believe you read that stuff!"

"The parts we told you are just snippets anyway" Setsuko said nonchalantly.

"If you read the entire book and the one before it, the story is amazing," Hana added monotonously.

She snapped her book shut and stood up. Setsuko grabbed her bag and left. Then she realized that she had absolutely no idea how to get home.

"Shit" Setsuko muttered.

"Hey" she turned around and saw Yuki.

"What are you doing here this late?"

Yuki smiled, "I came from a student council meeting"

The two of them walked back towards the house.

"Yuki?" Setsuko asked tentatively.

"Hmmm?"

"Are you sure you can go back to school…after what happened…"

Yuki's eyes saddened slightly, "It's okay…my father and I were never really on close terms but I know that he loved me…I want to be strong for him"

Setsuko smiled slightly, '_I wish I was like you, Yuki…I wish I had a person like Tohru when I needed it the most…_'

"You okay?" Yuki asked, noticing her black expression.

Setsuko snapped out of her thoughts, "I'm fine"

They rounded by the corner and Setsuko noticed the gates to her house.

'_Humph…house…_' Setsuko thought, '_Not a home…I don't even know if I'll ever have one…_'

"We're home," Yuki announced when they stepped into the house,

He glanced at Setsuko, "Setsuko, what's that on your arm"

Her eyes snapped to the lower forearm and saw that the Glamour was already starting wear off, "It's nothing"

She walked up the stairs quickly and into her room. She cast another charm and sighed when the lines faded back into her skin.

"Damnit" Setsuko muttered.

She sighed and dropped her bag on the floor. She grabbed a towel and some clothes and took a bath. Setsuko knelt down by her bag and took out her homework. As usual, there was a ton of them so she finished them just in time for dinner. Now that she realized it, the tutor that used to have did teach her shit. Although the homework was relatively easy, they're a hell of a lot more challenging than the ones she got before.

_Knock-Knock._

"Come in" Setsuko said.

Lara poked her head inside, "Um…Miss Setsuko, would you like to have dinner here or with the others? Master Hatori has informed me that you can eat outside of your room"

Setsuko ran a hand through her hair, "I'll just eat downstairs"

"Yes, Ma'am" Lara quietly shut the door.

Setsuko stood up from her desk and stretched, '_I swear, the teachers may give us easy homeworks but they're a so damn many!_'

She stepped into a pair of black slippers and looked at her self in the mirror. She was wearing black pajama bottoms and a black shirt.

'_Hatori's right. I definitely wear too much black. Funny…the only thing with a different color in my closet is my uniform_'

Setsuko tied her hair into a ponytail and went outside. There was noise coming from the dining room. Kyo was trying to pick a fight with Yuk again as Shigure was yapping his head off.

"Kyo, Kyo, Kyo…when will you ever learn that violence—oh! Hello Setsuko!" Shigure said.

She sat down and smiled slightly, "Good evening"

Shigure grinned and asked, "So…how did school go?"

Yuki swallowed, "It was fine. Except for Kyo being chased by his rabid girlfriend Mai"

Kyo choked on his rice, "WHAT? SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

Haru pulled a bunch on leeks and plugged Kyo's throat with it, "I heard Setsuko took care of that"

Kyo fainted on the floor.

"Is Kyo alright?" Tohru asked worriedly.

"He's alright Tohru" Shigure assured, "He'll wake up in a couple of minutes. So what's this about Kyo's rabid girlfriend?"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Kyo was back up on his feet only to faint again once Yuki plugged his throat with leeks _and _miso.

Tohru looked thoughtful, "Well, Mai said something to get Setsuko angry"

"And I nailed the bitch" Setsuko finished, putting rice in her mouth.

Shigure wagged his finger and reprimanded, "No rude words at the table Setsuko"

"Whatever"

"So Haru, anything interesting happen to you today?" Shigure asked.

"Well, the principal came to me and gave me detention because of my hair color"

"Then?" Shigure asked.

"I got out of it the same way I did with the old Student Council President"

"And what way is that?" Shigure pressed.

"I showed him my pub—"

Yuki slapped a hand to his face, "Shut up Haru. We're eating and Miss Honda is at the table"

"Showed him what?" Tohru asked.

'_Man, this girl is dense_' Setsuko, Haru, Yuki and Kyo thought at the same time.

Shigure however felt the need to answer her question, "Well Tohru, Hatsuharu simply showed the principal his—"

BLAM! Yuki and Kyo's fist ended up in his face and he fell to the floor unconscious.

"AH! Shigure!" Tohru exclaimed, running frantically around.

This time, Kyo was the one who hit her on the back of her head, "He'll be fine"

'_I can tell that since these people are here, my life is about to get a hell of a lot more exciting…_' Setsuko thought dryly.

xxx

After the eventful dinner, everyone had retired to their rooms and Shigure to his perverted-ness on spying at Lara. Lara had unfortunately found him peeking at her taking a bath and punched him so hard that he disappeared into the night in a twinkle. Setsuko was staring out her window when she saw a twinkle in the sky and watched something fall down after it.

'_Wonder what that is…_' she shut the curtain and climbed into bed, '_Although I am grateful that Hatori convinced Akito into letting me have a somewhat-normal-life, still I wonder why the hell Akito consented. All my life all he's been doing is torturing me. For what? He only does that because he knows that I will be his death. The end of him…_'

Setsuko rubbed her forehead and felt the pains of a growing headache, "I should stop thinking too much. I have people around to talk to now"

Setsuko shut of the lamp beside her bed and fell into sleep…all she wanted were her nightmares to go away, even for just tonight…but sometimes fate has a sick and twisted sense of humor.

**Dream…**

_**It was so cold…all the windows were open and winter's tears came floating into the room. A small huddled figure lay trembling in the snow. Her eyes were empty…blank of emotions. A hollow laugh was heard throughout the empty space. A voice…soft, but so evil. A person stepped closed to her and knelt. A finger tipped her chin up and she saw a smile on the face in front of her. The smile did not reach his eyes.**_

"_**Are you cold, Setsuko? Hmm…do you want a blanket?" the voice drawled.**_

_**Setsuko drew away from the touch and got hit in the face, "You don't deserve happiness, bitch. You cause everyone pain…I'm doing everyone a favor by letting you suffer. I know you here the voices. They won't go away, right?"**_

_**He smirked and stood up, "Those voices will haunt you forever…you can't escape what you are"**_

_**The door slid shut. The figure on the floor trembled slightly and stood up. She walked over to the windows and looked down. All the children were playing in the snow. Their smiles were apparent on their faces. Except for one. A boy with orange hair, about her age, was sitting alone under a tree. His face showed the same expression that she was holding.**_

"_**You're like me, aren't you?" Setsuko whispered.**_

_**The boy looked up and their eyes met briefly. As if he sensed what she said, Kyo smiled slightly, "I am. In more ways than one"**_

_**End Dream**_

Setsuko rubbed her eyes and pressed a button on the alarm clock.

'_So we have met before…_' she thought, '_Until now, I had forgotten that moment_'

Setsuko took a bath and noticed the early signs of fall. The big oak tree's leaves in the backyard were already turning orange and brown. A birds' nest hung in one of its branches.

'_Well, time for school…again. I hope I can see Hiroto's hand in a cast today_' Setsuko thought.

After a hot shower and a change into the dreaded uniform, Setsuko went downstairs for breakfast. Tohru was helping Lara cook in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Setsuko!" Tohru said cheerily.

Setsuko nodded to her and smiled slightly, "What are you cooking?"

Lara smiled, "Blueberry pancakes. Tohru made them"

"I just helped! It was Lara who did most of the work!" Tohru protested.

Lara laughed and went on to frying the rest of the pancakes. Tohru blushed and went back to mixing more batter.

"Hmmm! What is that beautiful smell?" Shigure came inside, holding his nose up to the aroma.

"Tohru and Lara's pancakes" Setsuko said monotonously.

"Something smells good" Kyo commented.

Shigure grinned, "Our beloved little Tohru made some pancakes! Oh what joy it would bring me if she were to be my lovely house—"

BLAM! Yuki had punched him.

"Stop talking. It's too early to hear your perverted thoughts!" Yuki said.

"Serve's you right" Kyo said, kicking his body to a corner.

"Is he always like this?" Setsuko asked.

Lara snorted, "I seem to get the impression that he is"

"Your impression is correct" Haru said, walking into the kitchen.

Tohru smiled, '_Setsuko really is getting along well with everyone…_'

After a delicious breakfast courtesy of our very own Lara and Tohru, it was time for school.

"Dumb rat! Running from a fight, huh?" Kyo taunted.

Yuki punched him, "Shut up, you stupid cat"

"Guys, please stop fighting…" Tohru pleaded, "One of you might bump into a girl and transform!"

"Yes" Haru said, "My dear Yuki might get another asthma attack and I would have to carry him back to the house in my cow form"

The two ceased fighting immediately and sweatdropped.

"Tohru?"

Tohru turned to Setsuko, "Yes?"

"How did you learn about the curse?"

It was Yuki who answered for her though, "Kyo's fault. He transformed in front of her"

Setsuko smirked. Kyo fumed silently and glared daggers at Yuki. They were about to reach the school when they were stopped by Mai Hiroto and her groupies.

"Well, well, well…what do we have here?"

xxx

PS: kill Mai, kill Mai lol. Expect Mai's ass to get kicked in the next chapter! Review, you lots!

-SaMiE-


	6. Revenge

A/N: Sorry for the late update! My internet card went empty when I tried to update on Thursday and on Saturday, we had to go to my grandma's house in the province where my absolutely _selfish _cousin refused to let me use his computer. I hate him. Oh well.

OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS CHAPTER! I'm evil as hell to a certain someone here…

xxx

Setsuko rolled her eyes and strode forward, pushing the girl out of her way. This time, another person blocked her way. It was Mai's older brother, Kahitoma.

He cracked his knuckles, "I hear you've been hurting my sister"

Setsuko smirked, "I hear you left your brain at home"

He turned red and said, "Bitch"

Kahitoma swung a punch at her that she caught and twisted around his back.

Setsuko kicked him forward on his knees, "You're just like your sister. Weak"

She hit him on the back of his neck and he passed out. Mai was now attempting to run away. Setsuko grabbed her arm and threw her against the wall.

"Don't expect this to be the last you hear of me, Hiroto" Setsuko whispered in her ear.

She let Mai crumple to the ground and stalked off. Tohru ran after her and began fussing.

"Are you alright, Setsuko? Are you hurt? Do you need—" Tohru began.

Setsuko smiled a little, "It's fine, Tohru"

Yuki and Kyo caught up and walked on either side of her and Tohru.

"Nice fighting style, Setsuko" Kyo commented.

"Did you train with Kazuma-sensei?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah"

"Oooh! I've met him before! He's really nice, isn't he?" Tohru squealed.

Setsuko smirked and thought, '_Tohru is nice but she acts like a total airhead…oh well, her selflessness makes up for all her short comings_'

"Uh-huh" Setsuko replied, "Where's Haru?"

"Right here" Haru suddenly appeared beside Yuki freaking Tohru out.

"What the hell?" Kyo muttered.

"You weren't there a minute ago" Yuki stated bluntly.

Haru shrugged, "I've always been here"

Setsuko sighed, "Enough of this shit. We're going to be late"

Everyone sped up after that. Tohru practically ran towards the school with them in tow. They all stopped in front of the classroom and sweatdropped.

"Who knew you ran so fast?" Kyo said.

"Well, I'll be going now" Haru said.

Tohru smiled, "Be safe, Haru"

"I will" Haru replied monotonously.

Tohru smiled and walked in. Hana and Uo were waiting for them. Due to Tohru's burst of speed, they had ten minutes to kill before their teacher got there.

"Hey guys" Uo greeted.

"Hello" Hana said, trailing her eyes to Mai who had come in shortly after Tohru and the others had. She looked scared and pissed at the same time.

"What happened to Hiroto-bitch?" Uo asked, looking at where Hana was looking.

"Setsuko kicked her ass" Kyo answered.

Yuki slapped the back of Kyo's head and reprimanded, "Don't use foul language in front of Miss Honda"

"It's okay, Yuki" Tohru assured him, "Uo does it all the time"

Everyone sweatdropped.

"Okaaay…away from the topic me cussing and back to Hiroto. Why'd you kick her ass?" Uo questioned.

Setsuko leaned against a table, "She tried to get her brother to kick _my _ass but it was the opposite"

"You mean Kahitoma?" Uo asked.

Setsuko nodded and burst out laughing, "That'll do well to deflate his ego"

Yuki actually agreed with that one, "He's one of our seniors…he causes a lot of trouble for the Student Council. I guess Setsuko did me a favor"

"That's good isn't it?" Tohru asked.

"It was good for me," Setsuko said, smirking, "And by the way Uo—"

CLAP, CLAP! "Class is starting, go back to your seats" it was their Science teacher.

"I'll tell you later" Setsuko finished.

And the class droned on and on until the bell ran for lunch. Funny how time flies when you're damn _bored_.

"So what were you going to tell me?" Uo asked.

Then Tohru came bounding in to the scene and said happily, "Come on guys, let's eat! I made rice balls for everyone!"

Hana smiled, "Yes Tohru. Your rice balls are the best I've ever tasted"

Tohru blushed, "That's not true! I'm sure there are others who can make better rice balls that I can"

"Come on Miss Honda, let's eat" Yuki said.

Tohru nodded and bounded off with the rest of the gang. They ended up out on the school grounds under a big oak tree. Setsuko sat down and rested her back against the trunk of the tree and smiled slightly.

"Hey Setsuko, want one?" Uo asked.

Setsuko looked at the offered rice ball and said, "Thanks"

She popped a section of it into her mouth and her thoughts drifted over to her dream. It was odd…why did she get that dream now? Guess her subconscious works in ways that even she can't always figure out. Setsuko looked over at Kyo who was yet to stop fighting with Yuki and smiled.

'_That is definitely one of my favorite memories…and seeing as what my childhood was, that's saying something_' Setsuko thought.

It was even overrated to call her past experiences as a kid, childhood. Sure she might've had one when her parents were still alive but what about now? Saddening is it to think that those good memories that she had before…she could barely remember them. There were snippets here and there but no complete one. Hatori made sure to erase every one but that one picture of her mom and dad brought back all the pain, because all her memories of her childhood would always be incomplete.

'_I wonder what it feels like to actually be wanted_…_I know I can feel even just a small part of it…it's like I can't fully grasp the whole feeling_'

Then there's Kyo. Setsuko didn't want to complain because she knew that Kyo had a past just as bad as she did. Yup, she knew of _his_ curse but Kyo never knew that she accepted him just the way he was.

'_I guess it hurt for Kyo to know that his mother didn't fully accept him…true, she did shower him with love but he felt that there was something wrong. Because the only he wanted was for her to acknowledge her fear and embrace it rather than shooing it away..._'

Setsuko finished the rest of her rice ball and sighed, '_I think I need some aspirin…_'

Uo suddenly remembered something, "What did you want to tell me?"

Setsuko smirked, "Well, remember the time when I squeezed Hiroto's fist when we first met? She went crying to the principal saying that you and me beat her up in the girl's bathroom because we wanted her to stay away from Carrot-top"

"HA! HA!" Uo laughed out loud, "_US? _Warn _her _about Carrot-top? That's a laugh"

"HEY! Don't call me that!" Kyo complained.

"I'm so kicking her ass" Uo decided.

"You should. I sense waves of foreboding coming from Mai Hiroto" Hana agreed.

"Guys. You shouldn't resort to violence to solve things," Yuki said exasperatedly.

Tohru nodded, "Yes, you wouldn't want to get into any more trouble"

Setsuko and Uo smirked.

"We're not going to physically kick her ass" Uo said.

"We're going to mess with her head" Setsuko finished.

Kyo scrunched his forehead, "You guys are evil"

"Who's evil?" Haru asked, popping out of nowhere.

Kyo jumped about a mile high, "WHAT THE HELL? WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?"

Haru shrugged and bit into a rice ball, "I told you guys. I've always been here"

Yuki sweatdropped, "Haru, you should stop doing that. It freaks people out. Right, Miss Honda? Miss Hon—"

Yuki turned around and saw Tohru on the ground. She fainted from shock. Haru really is a weird person. He pops out during the weirdest of moments.

"A cow" Hana said.

Tohru came alive and stood up straight like Kyo and Yuki, "A-a c-c-ow?"

Hana nodded, "Yes. He reminds me of a cow. They're there but you never really pay attention"

Yuki slapped at hand to his forehead and Kyo banged his head on a tree.

'_That was close_' they all thought.

Setsuko saw the relieved expressions on her faces, '_Hana might eventually notice…wonder what would happen if she found out?_'

"Setsuko?" Tohru said, "You've been awfully quiet"

"Huh? Oh I'm fine…"

"Hey guys, it's time for class…again" Uo said, "By the way Hana, can you help me with something? It's about Mai…"

After conferring with her friend, everybody went back inside the building. Mai was already sitting by her desk looking absolutely terrified. There was no way in hell or in heaven the she would go back to the principal.

'_That Sohma really pisses me off…_' Mai thought, annoyed, '_No one is going to steal Kyo-chan away from me! He's mine!_'

Mai looked up and saw Uo heading for her desk, '_Now what does Uotani want?_' "Yes?"

Uo smiled and winked slightly at Hana. Time to get the waves rolling. Uo pulled out a very large steel pipe from who-knows-where. Mai's eyes widened and she screamed. The pipe came crashing down on her and she screamed even more.

"Miss Hiroto!" a reprimanding voice said from above her.

Mai blinked here eyes and saw her advisor glaring at her. Where was Uotani? Mai's eyes flickered over to Uo's seat and saw her grinning evilly.

'_What the fuck was that? I saw Uotani right here…_'

"Miss Hiroto, meet after class" the teacher said.

Mai turned red and buried her face in her hands, '_How the hell did she do that? I thought she was going to kill me!_"

Uo smiled at her seat and Setsuko smirked contently. The look on Hiroto's face was priceless. She looked ready to shit in her pants! Err…skirt. Of course, Uo never really went to Mai's place. She just walked a few feet and went back to her seat. Hana's powers did all the evil. Fun to have a psychic as a friend, isn't it? A willing psychic by the way.

Hana smiled slightly and sat back in her chair with a content look on her face.

'_Yup…Mai Hiroto, get ready for the worst…._' Setsuko thought.

Uo grinned and her expression read, '_Yes, Hiroto…prepare yourself…_'

As if Hana connected with their mind, '_…cause we're not stopping until you break_'

Mai Hiroto was in for the ride of her life…with these three women trying to mess up her brain; she's in for a _very MESSY year_…

xxx

Mai remained confused for the rest of their class and glared at Uo, Setsuko and Hana as much as she could. Well, not Hana as much because every time she spied a glance at the psychic, she would feel a burning sensation up her spine like she was being electrocuted.

'_God…I swear…I hate these three…I was only trying to protect my Kyo-chan…_'

Mai shook her head and grumbled incoherent words related to 'Death to Setsuko, Uotani and Saki'. She could swear that she saw Uotani about to hit her with a steel pipe!

'_Psychic girl must've had something to do with it_' Mai told herself, '_Damn…with psychic girl in league with them, what am I going to do?_'

She felt another burning sensation up her spine and twitched. That was the second time in 10 minutes!

'_If get nerve damages, I'm pressing charges_'

'**_What charges?_**' a voice said in the back of her head.

Shit…it sounded like…SETSUKO?

_FUCK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HEAD?_

_**Oh…I don't know…torturing you I guess. By the way, do you know that you have a gigantic pimple on your nose?**_

_WHAT?_

Even Setsuko was in her head! Mai was sure that she was going crazy…but still, she grabbed her compact and peered into the mirror. There was a bump in the middle of her nose

_NO! My perfect nose!_

_**snicker You may have nose but I guess it's far from perfect. Rather flat if you ask me…and slightly bony.**_

GET THE HELL OUT OF MY MIND! 

_**I would if I could but I can't. I like you mind…there are lots of thing to discover…I can't believe you actually had liposuction on your thighs…were you really that fat?**_

NO! STOP THIS TORTURE! 

All her classmates were staring at her like she had two heads. The reason for that is the look on her face. Mai looked totally insane and ready to rip her hair out.

"Um…Mai? Are you okay?" Setsuko drawled, hiding smirk.

"NO! THE VOICES!" Mai exclaimed.

Uo giggled and Hana just sat there, contented for some odd, evil reason.

_**Well, Mai…maybe I'm just a figment of your imagination and that's why I won't go away…I never will really. I'm going to haunt you forever…**_

_NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

"Somebody help? There's this voice inside my head…it sounds like Setsuko!" Mai shouted.

A boy behind her laughed and announced, "It's official! Mai Hiroto has gone crazy!"

The rest of the class laughed and the teacher came up to her.

"Miss Hiroto!" she said sternly, "I can see your thrive for attention but this is not a way to do it! and blaming Miss Setsuko will not do you any good. Go to the principal's office now"

"BUT THE VOICES!" Mai pleaded.

The teacher grabbed her elbow lightly and pushed her out the door, "Principal's office, now"

Setsuko winked at Hana and smiled, '_That was fun…Hiroto, don't you see now that I meant it when I said that I'm not done with you yet?_'

xxx

PS: HAHA in your face, Mai Hiroto! You're a bitch so you deserve this. Aren't Setsuko, Uo and Hana evil?

REVIEW!


	7. Understanding

A/N: I would like to thank for all the great reviews! You guys are the best! And I know that the last the chapter was somewhat of a surprise since it was EVIL and humorous…I'm sort of like that. Always surprising you. Lol. Besides, if I really made this story all drama, what fun would that be? Its funner to put some humor once in a while.

Oh yeah, and there's a bit of fluff and understanding between Setsuko and Kyo here…Yay!

xxx

Finally, the bell rang signaling that their classes were over. Mai, however, did not return to after her mental breakdown.

"That was fun!" Uo exclaimed.

"Yeah" Setsuko added, "It was Hana's powers that helped us though"

Hana nodded, "I thought it was fun too. Hiroto was starting to get on my nerves anyway"

"I see you girls had something to do with that," Yuki reprimanded.

"You guys are evil! I think she's mentally damaged to the point of no return," Kyo said.

"Would you rather have her here pestering you, Carrot-top?" Setsuko asked, smirking.

A vein appeared on Kyo's head, "Don't call me that!"

Uo laughed, "She'll call you whatever she wants, Kyon-kyon! I'll be teaching her a lot more nicknames than Carrot-top and Kyon-kyon"

"Kyon-kyon?" Setsuko asked, "Pathetic"

Kyo's vein got bigger, "Stop calling me that! It's bad enough that Kagura calls me that!"

"Who's Kagura?" Hana asked.

"Well, she's a girl in love with Kyo and wants to marry him" Tohru said thoughtfully.

Uo laughed even harder, "Oh God—ha, ha! Aren't you a heartbreaker?"

Kyo turned red, "Oh, Shut up, Yankee!"

Uo continued to laugh as Hana shook her head, "By the way, since Tohru is living in a new house, Uo and I would like to invite ourselves over to recheck what kind of environment our dear Tohru is living in"

Uo nodded, "Yeah…who knows what that writer-pervert might do to Tohru? I think we need to reinstate a few rules with him"

"_Oh no_" Kyo, Yuki and Tohru thought at the same time.

"Whatever" Setsuko said.

Uo grinned, "That's great. We'll come by tomorrow after school"

The two walked off leaving Tohru and the rest of the Sohma's to go on their own way.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kyo exclaimed, "What if they found out about the curse?"

Setsuko glared at him, "No one will find out anything if you don't act your usual stupid self"

"I AM NOT STUPID!" Kyo shouted.

Yuki shook his head, "The way you're acting, I'd guess you are"

Haru suddenly appeared from behind Tohru, "It's okay to invite them over as long as we're all careful"

Tohru nodded, "Yes. We wouldn't want anything to happen like the last time"

"_No shit, Sherlock_" Yuki and Kyo thought.

xxx

Setsuko lagged behind the rest of the group and watched them fight and laugh with empty eyes.

"_I wish I could be like you…I wish I could be able to joke around and laugh without this burden on my shoulders. I know you guys have weights too, but compared to mine…_"

Setsuko sighed and picked up her pace, "_It's not fair. I didn't even want this. No body would want to live a life where you would be responsible for all the pain of the people you care about. Its not fair to me or anyone else_"

Yuki opened the door and let Tohru and Setsuko in. He walked in after Haru and slammed the door in Kyo's face. Setsuko could hear Kyo's complains through the door.

"_I wish I could all tell you, but I would dragging you into a more complicated situation than what you are in right now_"

Setsuko went up quickly to her room and shut the door, "_I can never be like them. We're too different. Maybe except for Kyo…_"

"_Kyo…_"

It was funny actually. Kyo had a secret slightly smaller than Setsuko yet he could still fit in with everybody else. She envied him actually, through all his and Yuki's teasing and taunting, you know that those two would die for each other, same with Tohru.

"_Tohru…_"

Now this girl was different. Setsuko had looked once in her eyes and a different kind of pain there. Her pain was buried deep within her heart but one that she never let corrupt her from the inside. How she can still smile, Setsuko doesn't know how. Maybe it's because of Kyo and Yuki. She's good for them and vice-versa.

"_Yuki…_"

Setsuko probably understood Yuki more than anyone else. They've both gone through the same torture in the Main House with Akito. But Setsuko guesses that there are things about Yuki that she still cannot get. Maybe one day she will.

"_When you add all of them up, where in the world can I fit in their world? Maybe Akito was right, maybe I wasn't meant to fit in with anyone else…but is it that when I'm with them, along with Uo and Hana, I feel the same sort of happiness I felt one with my parents…I'm like Kyo too, I only want to be accepted but not everyone can…_"

Setsuko suddenly pondered on the thought of what would happen if everyone found out that she was the Death Angel? Would they shun her away just like Akito did? Would they be able to accept her the way she is? Those are still questions unanswered.

"_All I wanted were people who would love me just as much or even try to love me like my parents. To see everyone's lives, carefree…it hurts. To know that you can never achieve that sort of happiness, it just eats you slowly from the inside_"

Setsuko looked down, "No one sees the pain behind the mask…"

Setsuko walked over to her dresser and opened the last drawer on the bottom. There was a box inside. She sat on the bed and opened it. A dust-covered photo was the only thing laying in it. Setsuko wiped the dust off the two smiling faces and threw the box to the wall.

"_Why did you have to leave? It's all your fault…if you hadn't gone…I wouldn't be living this hell_"

Setsuko picked the box up and placed the picture back inside, "_Yet I still can't find the strength to destroy your last memory…**our **last memory_"

"_I wish you guys were still here…maybe I would have made different choices…I wouldn't be as weak as I am now_"

She didn't even bother to take a shower and just fell asleep when her head hit the pillow. Still, the voices wouldn't stop…this time, they were only saying one thing…

'**_He is your strength…_**"

xxx

At the dinner table, Tohru was getting worried about Setsuko.

"Um, guys? Shouldn't we check on Setsuko or something?" Tohru asked nervously.

Shigure smiled at her, "You go check up on her Tohru. We'll wait for you. Or if you don't want to, I'll do it myself---"

BLAM!

"Such a pervert" Yuki said.

"Have you no shame?" Kyo muttered, shaking his head.

Tohru smiled and bounced up the stairs. She walked up to the door and knocked lightly.

"Setsuko? It's time for dinner"

She knocked lightly again and opened the door quietly and peeked inside. Setsuko was shivering lightly on the bed. Tohru smiled and pulled the covers over her.

"Sleep well, Setsuko" Tohru whispered.

She closed the door and walked back to the dining room.

"She's sleeping" Tohru announced.

"She must be tired after she _tortured_ Hiroto" Kyo said.

Haru ate a piece of sushi and commented, "You sound like you're worried about this Hiroto person. Who is she my dear Yuki?"

"An obsessed fan girl" Yuki replied, "And don't call me dear. Its weird"

Shigure turned starry eyed and said, "Ah, young love…err…odd love for Haru and Yuki"

Kyo and Yuki both punched him too the floor.

"You are disgusting" Yuki muttered.

"Stop thinking dirty stuff, old man!" Kyo snapped.

"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it" Tohru said, sweatdropping.

Haru looked at her, "Sure he did"

"It serves him right" Lara muttered, walking into the room, "He tried to peek at me while I was taking a bath this morning. Pervert"

"You'll learn to live with that," Yuki said.

Haru nodded, "He peeked on Hatori once"

"EW!" Kyo shouted as Tohru blushed madly.

"Haru, please don't say nasty things while we're eating" Yuki said, turning slightly green.

"I'm going to have nightmares!" Kyo complained.

xxx

Setsuko woke up the next morning with a terrible headache. Good for her it was a weekend. She staggered over to her desk and downed a couple of pills till her head un-pressurized.

"_Stupid headache…I feel like I'm having a hangover_" Setsuko thought.

She pulled out a pack of her lights and went out into the balcony. She lit up and blew out a puff of smoke.

"You shouldn't smoke you know. It's illegal," a voice from above her said.

It was Kyo. He was sitting on the very edge of the flat roof.

"Jealous?" Setsuko asked.

"No!"

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "It was a sarcastic question. Yuki's right, you _are _dense"

"I am not!" Kyo protested.

"You and Tohru would be perfect for each other" Setsuko felt him draw in a sharp breath, "Too bad Yuki has the hots for her and vice versa"

"Why should I care?" Kyo snapped.

"Cause you like her" Setsuko replied promptly.

"Oh shut up"

Setsuko laughed for the first time in a couple of years, "Seems like I hit a nerve"

Kyo looked out into the rising sun, "That's the first I heard you laugh"

Setsuko smiled slightly, "Me too"

"Huh?"

"Nothing…"

"Oh…Hana and Uo are going to arrive today, right?" Kyo asked her.

"Yeah. So?"

"Just so you know, when we were still living in the old house, they came over and things were not pretty"

"You guys are just careless…"

Kyo jumped down from the roof's edge and into her balcony, "What animal are you anyway?"

Setsuko felt her insides turn cold, "…a raven"

Kyo raised an eyebrow, "What kind of animal is that? Is it even in the zodiac"

Setsuko turned around and leaned against the rail, "Did I say it was?"

Kyo shut up after that. He knew better that to mess with her…there was that look in her eyes that haunted him. Like she was keeping a secret. Well, he had secrets himself too.

"_I wonder what she would do if she found out my true form? Would she shun me away like my mom did?_"

"You don't have to be scared of telling me…" Setsuko said, taking another drag of her cigarette.

Kyo looked at her, "Wh—what?"

Setsuko blew out smoke in his face, "I know about your curse. Akito told me"

Kyo frowned and looked down, "Are you afraid of me? I mean…you know…"

Setsuko laid a hand on his arm, "Do I look scared? Please…give me more credit after what we did to Mai Hiroto"

Kyo stared straight at her, "…why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Because I know what if feels like to be alone and unwanted"

xxx

Yuki woke up with the bright light streaming on his face. He opened his eyes slowly and stood up. It was still early but he heard the string smells of breakfast coming from somewhere and roused him awake. He rubbed his eyes and trailed them across an old picture on his bedside table. It was picture of his father, mother, Ayame and him.

'_This was taken weeks before mom died…_' Yuki thought sadly, '_Now dad is gone too…_'

He sighed and stood up slowly, '_But I've got a family more than I could ever want…Miss Honda, even Shigure and Kyo…_'

After a shower he went downstairs to breakfast only to sweatdrop and find Shigure on the floor with Lara glaring at him.

"Stupid pervert. I caught him looking up my skirt while I was trying to reach a frying pan on the top shelf" Lara explained.

"You never learn do you?" Yuki asked him, sitting down.

Shigure stood up and smiled happily, "Nope"

Yuki rolled his eyes and saw figure entering the kitchen. It was Setsuko followed closely by Kyo. Yuki noticed some sort of old elegance of the way she moved…but in that elegance was something hidden. As if she was hiding something so big that it would cause great devastation or sadness when revealed.

'_Not that I wasn't the same when I was still living at the Main House…I get the same impression that she went through the same things I did_' Yuki thought.

Tohru came down and smiled brightly, "Good morning everyone…oh Lara, you didn't have to cook! I'm sorry I woke up late!"

Lara shook her head, "Tohru, you know that you don't have to work here anymore. That's my job"

Tohru nodded and sat down, "So…everyone had a nice sleep?"

"Yes" Haru replied, sitting beside Yuki.

Yuki edged away slightly. Haru edged closer.

"You know, are you sure you guys don't have a secret relationship?" Shigure asked.

Yuki punched him yet again, "Shut up"

"Don't talk like that when the Yankee and the Psychic get here," Kyo said.

"I think they're coming lunchtime," Tohru added.

There was a bunch on knocks on the door.

"I thought they were coming lunchtime?" Setsuko asked.

Lara ran over to the door with Shigure staring at her ass. Uo and Hana walked in with smiles on their faces…actually, Uo was smiling and Hana was poking a porcelain dog beside the door.

"_Damn_" Everyone thought at the same time.

xxx

PS: Expect some humor in the next chapter since Uo and Hana are coming over. By the way, I won't be able to update much since school is starting four days. Oh well. I'll do my best to update ALL my stories…bye, bye!

Review lots!


	8. Craziness and Sappiness

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry if this took long! Sophomore year just started for me and the homeworks have been piling high! It's so different from when I was still a freshman. They barely gave us homeworks then! Stupid teachers…

Anyhow, I managed to get a free weekend and type this up! Enjoy!

xxx

"Hey guys!" Tohru greeted uneasily.

"Why are you so early?" Setsuko asked.

Hana stopped poking the dog, "We wanted to see this house in its natural environment so we came early"

Uo nodded and stepped inside, "Man…this house is big"

"…but it's not empty anymore, is it Setsuko?" Hana asked.

Setsuko smirked and shook her head, "Not anymore"

Yuki looked confused but brushed it off, "So Miss Uotani, Miss Hanajima, would you like some breakfast?"

"Yum. Something smells good. Come on Hana"

"At least we know now that Tohru is eating right" Hana commented.

They all walked into the kitchen peacefully but Kyo just had to be his idiotic self and trip over his own feet, landing on Tohru who in front of him. Due to his luck, Uo and Hana were already in the kitchen. But upon hearing the poof, they raced back into the hall.

"What was that?" Uo asked.

"…a cat" Hana replied vaguely.

Tohru stuffed Kyo's clothes in a nearby vase and rubbed the cat's head vigorously.

"Oh! This is my cat…Bob" Tohru replied.

'_Bob? You couldn't think of a more stupid name?_' Kyo thought sarcastically as Yuki kept down the laughter that was rising on his throat.

"I never knew that you had a cat, Tohru" Hana said.

Tohru laughed uneasily, "Um…no…I guess I forgot to tell you"

Yuki ushered them back into the kitchen while saying, "Go on Miss Uotani and Miss Hanajima. We'll be following shortly"

Haru grabbed the cat form of Kyo and thrust him in the closet as a loud poof was heard again.

"Where are my clothes damnit?" a voice was heard saying.

Setsuko grabbed his clothes from the dust-covered inside of the vase and threw it behind the door without looking.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHCCCCCCCHHHHHOOOOOOOOOO!"

Now, a dust covered Kyo was making his way out of the closet.

"Great job, Tohru" Kyo muttered sarcastically.

Tohru grinned brightly, "Thank you!"

'_How denser can she get?_' Yuki, Haru and Setsuko thought at the same time.

"Come on. They're probably waiting for us. And remember Kyo, try not be stupid" Yuki told him.

"Shut up you damn rat!" Kyo complained, "It wasn't my fault"

"Oh yes it was" Setsuko added smirking.

Kyo grumbled loudly about everyone ganging up on him and marched into the kitchen. He found Hana and Uo sitting at the table eating some bacon and eggs.

"Hello Kyon-kyon" Uo greeted, "Why are you covered in dust?"

Hana looked at him, "I sense waves of annoyance radiating off him. Tohru I presume?"

"Whatever" Kyo muttered, sitting down.

The three other teens sat down at the table and started eating.

"So Miss Uotani, I hear your joining the school's judo club" Yuki said.

Uo nodded, "Yeah. The guidance counselor told me that I needed to find an output for all my negative vibes and said that I should take up a sport or a class"

"As if that would do you any good! You'll learn even more ways to be violent!" Kyo said, snickering.

Uo grabbed her metal pipe from who-knows-where and whacked Kyo in the head with it, "Shut up Orange Top if you know what's good for you"

Kyo raised his fist "Want to pick a fight with me, huh Yankee?"

Uo slammed her metal pipe on the ground forming a crack, "Maybe I do. What are you going to do about it, Kyon-chan?"

"Oh that's it. You are going down!"

The two prepared to start a brawl but Setsuko grabbed both their ears and miraculously, they suddenly stopped arguing and a look of relaxation spread across their faces.

"That was cool. What was that?" Haru asked, watching the whole scene.

Setsuko dragged Kyo and Uo back into their seats without letting go of their ears and replied, "It's a trick in a book Hana gave me. It's a calming spot for everyone"

"You have to teach me that one Miss Setsuko" Yuki commented.

Setsuko smirked and sat back down, "Thanks by the way Hana"

Hana looked up from the novel that she was reading, "My pleasure. And where is the perverted writer, Shigure? I've been asking him when the next installment to this series is going to come out"

"Oh Hana…I never knew you liked reading books like that" Tohru said.

"Remember the last time they went over? Hana was reading that same book," Uo reminded her.

"Oh yeah"

"So what was that whole calming thing for?" Kyo asked Setsuko.

She shrugged, "You two were going to destroy my kitchen if I hadn't stopped you"

"Why did you stop fighting?" Haru asked them.

"I've lost the will to fight" Uo said simply.

"Me too" Kyo added.

"That's really freaking me out," Yuki said.

"It should. Not everyone can do that trick," Hana told him.

Haru grabbed Kyo's ear and he was reduced to a lump on the floor, "Oh look. I can do it"

Setsuko nodded, "Only people with calming personalities can do it"

"So Prince Yuki could probably do it" Hana finished.

Yuki cringed at the nickname, "Please don't call me that Miss Hanajima. I told you to call me Yuki"

Tohru smiled brightly and stood up, "Do you guys want to go into the living room? We can watch a movie"

"Sure" Uo said, standing up.

Tohru walking through the swinging doors only to bump into Shigure.

'_Shit_' the rest of the zodiac plus the cat and Setsuko thought.

Shigure jumped and ran for the nearest empty room. He ended up outside in the yard.

"Um Tohru? What are the writer's clothes doing on the floor?" Hana asked.

Lara saw what happened from the stairs and said quickly, "I'm sorry. I'm Lara, the housekeeper. I must've dropped them when I was about to do the laundry. I apologize"

"It's okay" Tohru replied, standing up.

"Are you okay, Miss Honda?" Yuki looked worried.

"I'm fine Yuki" Tohru said smiling.

Kyo grabbed the clothes and threw them out into the yard when the Yankee and the Psychic weren't looking.

Shigure in his dog form leapt up and caught the clothes between his teeth.

"Hey, isn't that your dog, Spot was it?" Uo asked.

Tohru started panicking so Setsuko decided to think fast. She pushed Kyo towards a table and the flower vase on the top fell crashing to the floor.

"Kyo, you are an idiot," Yuki snapped, following Setsuko's lead.

"Look at the poor vase" Haru commented.

Uo laughed, "Man Kyo, I thought you were only clumsy at school but I think I've seen it all"

"You pushed me!" Kyo raised an accusing finger at Setsuko.

"I did no such thing"

"Now Kyo… Don't go blaming other people for your mistake" Shigure suddenly popped up from behind them wagging his finger.

'_This is your fault, stupid dog_' Kyo thought dangerously.

Setsuko cleared her throat, "So Tohru, what movie did you want to watch?"

Tohru thought for a moment, "Oh I know!"

'_Please don't let it be a sissy movie_' Setsuko pleaded in her brain.

"How about The Grudge! I've watched the English version but I still haven't watched the Japanese one!"

Yuki looked skeptical, "Are you sure Miss Honda? I still remember the last time when we watched the English version"

"You wouldn't stop shaking until the next day" Kyo butted in.

"Oh don't be cowards" Uo reprimanded.

Hana looked at them with her freaky eyes, "Besides, I Tohru wants to watch the movie, _then so be it_"

"I hear that movie is good," Haru said, walking towards the living room, "It's supposed to scare you to death"

Everybody sweatdropped but Tohru just grinned happily.

"So, would you like some popcorn or anything?" Lara asked, wiping her wet hands on a towel.

"Popcorn would be fine" Setsuko told her.

"Be sure to cook lots, Miss Lara! Kyo's a pig." Uo sang.

Kyo glared at her and stomped off to the living room. Yuki and Tohru were on the couch already when he got there. Kyo scowled and sat on the floor. Uo sat beside Tohru and Hana grabbed a chair and set it beside the couch. Setsuko plopped down on the floor beside Kyo. Haru placed the DVD in and the movie started playing.

Thirteen minutes into the movie, Tohru started shrieking.

"AAAHH! IT'S GOING TO KILL US ALL!"

Kyo twitched as Yuki smiled at her and squeezed her hand gently, "It's okay Miss Honda"

Tohru smiled brightly and settled back into the couch.

"Jealous?" A voice from behind him whispered.

Kyo looked at Setsuko and glared harder, "Fat chance"

She smirked, "Somebody's pissed"

Uo smiled at the two, "Won't you two lovebirds keep it down. We're trying to watch here"

Setsuko rolled her eyes and pinched Uo's leg, "Shut up, Uotani"

Hana watched them and smiled slightly, '_She's hiding something…I can sense it…the darkness that surrounds her is slowly eating her from the inside. Until she opens up, there's nothing else anyone can do…_'

Setsuko found Hana looking at her and turned her attention back to the movie. Half an hour, it went like that, Uo teasing the two, Kyo grumbling and Setsuko pinching her harder and harder. Hana just watched everything with knowing eyes.

Tohru had fallen asleep and her head rested on Yuki's shoulder. Good thing their torsos weren't touching. As the movie credits rolled down, Haru stood up and took the DVD out.

"Looks like they fell asleep" Setsuko commented.

"They look cute together" Haru added, "But I'm willing to suffer for my dear Yuki's happiness"

Kyo just started scowling again.

"It's okay Kyon-kyon. Setsuko's still here" Uo teased.

Setsuko glared and hit Uo over the head with a pillow. Uo was about to shout when she noticed that Tohru and the prince were waking up.

"Still sleepy Tohru? You should take a nap," Hana said.

Tohru nodded and yawned. The movie probably wore her out.

Yuki rubbed his eyes and stood up, "Where's Miss Honda?"

"She took a nap," Setsuko offered.

Yuki nodded and went into the kitchen. Setsuko followed him and so did Uo. Haru had gone looking for Shigure.

Hana closed her book and faced Kyo "You should open up Kyo…before it's too late"

"Tohru likes Yuki" Kyo said simply.

Hana smiled, "Who says I'm talking about Tohru?"

xxx

Setsuko looked at Yuki, "Do you like Tohru, Yuki?"

Yuki blushed, "…Um…"

Setsuko smiled and sat down, "I thought right. You go well together you know, she understand you more that anyone ever could"

"How so?" Yuki questioned.

Setsuko smiled slightly, "After all that you went through at the Main House, a person like Tohru is all you need"

"How do you know…?"

"Remember the room that Akito told you never to go into?"

"The one beside the room that he…"

"Yeah. It was my room"

Yuki's eyes widened, "Then it was you who was crying..."

"Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner" Setsuko said sarcastically, "I heard you crying too you know"

Yuki sighed and looked out the window, "I really want to understand why he did all those things but it's hard. After all he did to me…its difficult to forget"

"He's an ass and seriously needs some anger management therapy but I understand him, even if it's only a little bit. To be told that you have to die at a very young age must've done something to him…" '_Just like it did to me_'

"You know Setsuko, you surprise me. I know you suffered just the way I suffered, maybe even more, but for you to get over it this easily…"

"It wasn't easy, Yuki. There will always be scars, both emotional and physical, but when you look past his sadistic exterior, inside is a person just like the rest of the cursed ones…sad and wanting to be free"

Yuki smiled, "You know, you'd be good for Kyo…"

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "Yeah right"

"Really. He needs someone like you, if you can understand Akito then you can probably understand Kyo's…" Yuki trailed off.

"Don't worry Yuki. I know about his true form…I understand him perfectly. In fact, I just told him that this morning"

Yuki's smile saddened, "But have you actually seen his true form?"

"Yeah…years back…in the Main House…Akito took off his bracelet. I was scared at first but the moment I looked into his eyes, I realized that there was nothing to be afraid of"

Yuki looked out into the backyard, "Somehow, that's what I felt too, when I first saw it"

Setsuko rubbed her eyes and stood up, "Hey, you better check on Tohru, Lara's probably going to start her baking spree or something. I think would like to help. She's a great cook"

"Yeah…she is"

Yuki stood up too and left. Setsuko started heading for the living room.

'_Maybe I could be good for Kyo…but how can I when even I'm falling apart from the inside?_'

xxx

PS: A bit sappy, ne? I'm feeling rather off these days…damn. Just wanted to show some Yuki Setsuko interaction here. And don't worry, Shigure will be back in the chappy I think. Oh well.

Review lots!

-SaMiE-


	9. Nightmares

A/N: Finally! An update! I'm so happy! The devil-teachers have lessened the schoolwork and we have a five-day weekend! Yayness! Why, you ask? There was a storm from Wednesday to Friday so basically we have a five-day weekend!

I actually enjoyed typing this slightly depressing chapter up. Would you believe it that I felt the urge to type when I accidentally listened to 'Come Clean' by Hilary Duff? I pressed the play button by mistake and boom. Inspiration.

Oh well. On with the chap!

xxx

Setsuko tossed and turned in her sleep. The nightmares were getting worse day by day. She couldn't get back to sleep after every dream she had. The pleas were getting louder and louder and sometimes she couldn't even fathom which was reality and which was the dream world. Three days…that's how long she's been enduring it. Maybe even more.

Thankfully for her that no one had noticed…yet.

"**_Help us Setsuko…help us…you're the reason for this pain…you will help us…_**"

Setsuko shot up straight in bed; her shirt clung to her body, cold with sweat.

"Fucking dreams…" Setsuko muttered.

She ran a hand through her hair and rubbed her bloodshot eyes.

"Damnit…I need a smoke"

She climbed out of bed and grabbed her pack inside her desk. She opened the door to her terrace and stepped out. The freezing air was calming her slowly. Still, it wasn't enough. The voices and the nightmares were imprinted on her mind too much. She lit up a cigarette and took out a drag.

Setsuko leaned forward onto the railing and sighed.

"_When is it all going to end…? All those people in my dreams…I hear their pain. They're calling for me stop causing them hell_"

Setsuko slammed her fist onto the ledge and let out a cry of rage.

"_It's not fair…even with this stupid curse, I still get these damn nightmares. I thought I'd be used to them by now but…they're a lot worse than usual. An omen maybe?_"

Setsuko smirked and flicked her cigarette. The ashes fell to the floor in an almost graceful way.

"Omens of death…wonder who's next? I hope it's not too bad…"

One last drag and she dropped the stick over the terrace. It landed on the grass below. With sick fascination, she watched the dying embers eat away small stalks of grass before completely dying away.

"Even in death, they cause even more pain" Setsuko commented.

She walked back inside and slid the door shut.

"There is no way I'm going back to sleep"

A quick glance to the clock told her that it was four in the morning.

"_Lara's going to wake up early anyway…in an hour or so I think_"

Setsuko looked at her reflection in the mirror. There was something different about her eyes. As if there was a small flicker of hope bubbling up inside her.

"_Hope? How pathetic can I get? There is no hope for me…_"

Her image in the mirror remained the same. Dark brown hair, pale skin but her eyes…they held, if only a glimmer, of hope…a chance that there might a person who can rescue her from this unbearable living nightmare that she's been in.

"**_No one can help you…_**"

Setsuko remembered that that was what Akito had told her before. Actually, Setsuko couldn't hate him anymore. She pitied him actually. He didn't cause her this emotional turmoil. He just gave her physical pain but that was it. She already broken so there was nothing else to be destroyed.

"If only I had more strength within me…more ability to deal with my pain…"

Setsuko looked at her arm and saw a tattoo of lines on it. She had gotten it that very moment when she sent her parents off to the next world. Somehow, it was a mark of her pain…and her suffering. Black lines…intercrossing each other like little rivers but they all led to one place…a circle on her wrist, the outlet for her power.

"_They're like the different lives I take away…they're all different and might go different ways but they all end up in one place. Darkness…but even I don't know that_"

Often Setsuko imagined what her life would be if the curse didn't exist. Would she still be the same person? Would Akito still be bitter and angry? Would Tohru Honda ever meet Yuki and Kyo Sohma? Everything happens for a reason. She believes that. You make mistakes but you learn from them. You learn to heal only if you've been hurt. You can only love if you've been rejected.

"_Rejection…I seem to be very knowledgeable about that feeling…Kyo too_"

Then there was Kyo. Would he understand if he found out about Setsuko? Would he be able to accept? Setsuko didn't even want to know. She had been shunned way too many times in the past to actually trust someone.

Setsuko shielded her eyes and saw that the sun was already up. She'd been standing in front of her mirror for over an hour now. Besides, another killed headache had began to center itself on her temples.

"Damnit" Setsuko cursed, rubbing the sore spot.

She pulled open numerous drawers but it seemed that she was out of aspirin or Advil for that matter. She cast a glamour charm again and went outside, black socks and all. She reached the kitchen and found Lara and Tohru cooking.

"Hey. Where's the aspirin?" Setsuko asked, still massaging her head.

Lara turned off the stove and got some from the medicine cabinet in the hall. She returned with a pill in her hand.

"Here" Lara said, "Are your headaches acting up again?"

"Yeah. They hurt like a bitch" Setsuko replied, downing the pill and some water from the faucet.

Shigure sauntered into the kitchen with a smile on his face.

"So what have our two lovely ladies been making?"

Tohru smiled cheerfully and set a plate of waffles on the table, "Waffles and some omelet. Eat up, Shigure!"

Shigure sat at the table on a chair and fell on his ass.

"I still can't get used to chairs"

"Then eat on the floor, like a good puppy," Haru advised, walking into the kitchen.

"Good Morning Hatsuharu," Lara and Tohru greeted.

Haru smiled slightly and sat beside Shigure, who I might add, finally gotten on a chair.

"So…what do you guys want to do on this beautiful Saturday morning?" Lara asked.

Shigure smiled thoughtfully, "Maybe another trip to the hot springs?"

"That would be nice" Tohru smiled.

Kyo walked into the kitchen followed by Yuki.

"Good morning, Kyo, Yuki" Setsuko said in monotone.

A grunt from Kyo and a "Good morning Miss Setsuko" from Yuki was heard.

Shigure noticed her rubbing her temples and asked, "Are you feeling alright, Setsuko?"

"I'm fine" Setsuko muttered, sitting down beside Tohru.

"You look like you haven't slept in days"

Setsuko glared at him and he shut up.

"Finally" Kyo muttered.

"What?" Setsuko asked.

Yuki smiled, "Someone can finally shut him up aside from Hatori"

"She scares me" Shigure whined.

"Act like an adult, would you?" Haru said.

Tohru sweatdropped, "Erm…so, how does the food taste?"

Lara grinned, "It's brilliant as usual Tohru. You made them" she looked at her watch, "Oh, I have to go to the grocery and pick up a couple of stuff. I'll be back"

"Be safe" Tohru called out.

"_Be safe? I often hear her saying that…_" Setsuko thought.

Another sharp pain shot straight to her forehead brought her back to reality. She narrowed her eyes and winced slightly in pain.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Shigure questioned.

"You do look a little pale, Miss Setsuko" Yuki offered.

Kyo drifted his eyes towards her and felt a pang of worry, "_What am I being worried for? It's just a stupid headache_"

Haru did not miss that, "Someone's worried"

"We should be" Tohru protested, "Why don't you go lie down. I'll get you some soup"

Setsuko nodded and headed back to her room, falling on her bed gracefully.

"I absolutely hate headaches"

Another pang of pain hit her, "Fuck…"

She felt the effects of the pill she took and fell slowly into a state of slumber.

_**Dream…**_

_**Footsteps…they echo softly across the graying walls of an unknown building. There were sobs echoing along with those steps. Setsuko let the sound take her feet to its source. A pale white hand trailed across the cracks in the concrete. The sobs stopped.**_

_**Setsuko stopped in front of an open room. There was a small figure hunched up in a corner of the room.**_

"_**Hello?" Setsuko called out softly.**_

_**The figure turned around sharply and Setsuko took in a sharp breath. Dark hair…silver eyes…a seven-year-old Setsuko stood in front of her.**_

"_**How...?" Setsuko muttered, "This is a dream"**_

_**The girl smiled, "Yeah…it is. Look at me Setsuko…I'm the person you were before you let your curse corrupt your being. But now…we're the same. Our eyes now hold what it should've held even after you accepted the burden of everyone's pain"**_

_**Setsuko blinked and stared into the eyes of the younger version of herself…the pair of eyes looking at her were the same pair that she had seen when she looked into the mirror a few hours ago.**_

_**The smaller Setsuko smiled and trailed a finger on the lines of Setsuko's forearm, "Hana was right. It you do not open yourself up, there is not saving you"**_

_**Setsuko looked confused, "What do you mean, save?"**_

_**The girl smiled again, "You do not understand what it means to be saved…or loved unless you learn how to open your heart again to those who are willing to help you…"**_

_**End Dream…**_

"Setsuko…wake up" Tohru's calming voice called out to her.

Setsuko blinked open her eyes and saw Tohru's relieved face.

"I thought you were having a nightmare"

Setsuko yawned and rubbed her head. The headache was gone. Tohru held up a bow of hot soup and smiled.

"Thanks" Setsuko told her and placed the tray on her lap, "Why are you so damn nice?"

Tohru shrugged, "Lot's of people ask me that but I don't really know the answer"

Setsuko shook her head and took a sip of the soup.

"Tohru! There's a phone call from the Yankee!" Kyo called from downstairs.

Setsuko smiled slightly, "Go on. I'm feeling better"

Tohru smiled and went downstairs. She picked up the phone.

"Hello Uo"

"Hey Tohru! Hana and me were wondering if you wanted to go to this new hot spring. It's just an hour away"

"Well, I have to ask Shigure and the others too…"

"They can come" Hana's voice butted in, "But they have to pay for themselves"

"Yeah" Uo said, "We'll call you later"

"Okay!" Tohru replied cheerily, "Bye"

"Bye!"

Tohru hung up and found Shigure behind her.

"Oh Tohru…is Setsuko alright?" Shigure asked.

"Yes, I just checked on her. She felt a lot better after she fell asleep"

"Okay" Shigure smiled, "So what were you going to ask me about?"

Tohru smiled sheepishly, "Um well…Uo and Hana were inviting us to go to this new hot spring just outside town"

"Let's ask Kyo, Yuki, Setsuko and Haru later during lunch. I'm sure they and myself would all love to go"

xxx

Setsuko put the soup bowl on the table and looked at her hands, "_That dream…this is all too weird…even for me…I can't even think who would even want to help me…I don't want to get hurt anymore_"

She sighed and swung her legs out of bed, "I need a shower"

She grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom. The cold water seemed to wash her fears away…but when the water stopped, that feeling of loneliness comes creeping back in, icing up all the pain so that it would be a reminder of all the hell that she's been through.

Sometimes Setsuko even wonders if she really is alive or just…there, existing but not really living.

"_Ever since they came here, my life had taken a turn, I don't know whether for better or worst. I've stopped cutting, Akito doesn't come here often anymore but there's always that nagging feeling of me still being alone…even though I know I'm not_"

After dressing in a pair of black jeans and a black shirt, she went downstairs to find someone knocking on the door. Lara was outside so Setsuko figured that she couldn't hear it. She walked over to the door and pulled it open.

It was a woman with short brown hair and dressed in a light blue suit.

"Good morning…does Shigure Sohma live here?" She asked.

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "Yes he does. And you are?"

The woman let out a relieved sigh, "I'm Mie, his editor"

"Oh…come right in"

Shigure, who happened to tiptoeing away when he saw Mie, suddenly stopped and made a mad dash for the bathroom.

"SHIGURE!" Mie shouted, grabbing his yukata and pulling him back with evil eyes, "Where is the second half of the manuscript you sent me?"

Shigure grinned, "Erm…I might have misplaced it somewhere…I probably should go look for it…"

He tried to run again but Mie was currently chaining him to a chair in front of a desk, "You are going to write every single word right now! I can't believe you didn't tell me where you lived!"

"Poor Shigure" Haru commented, seeing the sight from the living room.

Setsuko shook her head, "I can tell there are a lot more things going to happen"

xxx

PS: So…whaddya think? Kyo's _finally _starting to realize his feelings for Setsuko. Took him long enough. Lol.

There's going to be some minor character death in the future…probably near the ending. But don't worry, it's not anyone major though.

Review!

-SaMiE-


	10. Poor Shigure

A/N: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LONG TIME BEFORE I UPDATED! You know, I was supposed to update last week but then our long tests were announced. My dad banned me off the computer for the WHOLE DAMN WEEKEND!

And you know what ticks me off?

It turns out that since a couple of days ago, we got a week of classes because of this storm, so the schools Main Branch said that the tests were postponed! FUCKING IMBECILES!

I actually studied for a non-existent test. Damn. But for sure, this Monday until Friday we'll really have our tests. I'll probably update next weekend since there's always a week interval between the long tests and our exams.

Poo.

Thank you for listening to my incessant rambling.

ONWARDS!

xxx

After half a day, Shigure finally gave up trying to make Mie loose her mind because of the manuscript and gave up the real one that he happened to 'find' taped under his desk.

"B—b-but Shigure! Y-you said--" Mie exclaimed, bursting into tears.

Shigure smiled and proceeded to push her out before she flooded the house, "Yes, I know Mie. You LOVE me so much for giving you the manuscript. You better be off then!"

Setsuko raised an eyebrow at this, "Why does she put up with you?"

Haru came into the picture and said, "He probably threatens to kill her cat"

Pink roses suddenly surrounded Shigure and he said, "She simply puts up with me because of my good looks"

"Oh please" Kyo commented, coming from the kitchen, holding a glass of milk.

"You're such a cat, Kyo" Shigure said, seeing the glass.

Kyo turned red, "What's wrong with liking milk?"

Setsuko snorted, "You drink a glass every half an hour"

Haru looked around and asked, "Where is my dear Prince Yuki?"

"He's in the kitchen with Tohru" Kyo grumbled.

"Oooh! Someone's jealous!" Shigure teased.

"Oh shut up, damn dog," Kyo muttered.

Tohru emerged from the kitchen and said, "Lunch is ready"

"Yum" Haru said monotonously.

"That's creepy" Yuki said.

Everybody sat around the table and started to eat when Shigure put a finger to his temple and clapped his hands.

"Now what?" Kyo complained through his mouthful of food.

Shigure smiled, "I just remembered, Tohru's _wonderful _friends have just invited us to go to the new hot springs this weekend. Right Tohru?"

Tohru nodded, "Yes. They called me this morning"

"That sounds nice" Yuki commented.

"But we have to pay. They'll pay for Tohru" Shigure finished.

"They're such nice hosts," Kyo said sarcastically.

"There really is no problem with that since we're loaded" Setsuko pointed out.

Haru looked up from his food and said, "And it would be a good chance to relax since exams are coming up"

"That's right!" Tohru said, smiling.

"Then it's decided" Shigure confirmed, "We're leaving the day after tomorrow, right Tohru?"

Tohru nodded, "I'll just call Uo and Hana"

She bounced off to the hallway and came back a few minutes later.

"It's settled! We're going to ride in Uo's car!"

"Miss Uotani has a car?" Yuki asked.

Tohru nodded, "She turned sixteen a couple of months ago"

"Does the Yankee even have her license?" Kyo muttered.

Tohru smiled brightly, "Of course she does"

Shigure suddenly got an idea, "You know, since everyone in this room is sixteen and above, why don't we all take driving tests sometime later?"

"You in a car?" Setsuko clarified.

Shigure pouted, "Why not?"

"You might end up killing everyone on the spot," Haru said.

"You guys are so mean" Shigure whined.

"Whatever" Setsuko asked, "And since we're leaving soon, I suggest that you guys start packing"

She stood up and went up to her room.

"She's right. No use trying to rush everything the day before" Shigure prompted.

"_Yeah right. Like when we were going to move here, huh Shigure?_" Yuki and Kyo thought darkly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Shigure complained, shrinking away from their gaze.

Lara came into the room and smirked, "They're probably planning your demise. I know I am"

"WAAAH! Haru look! They're scaring me!" Shigure exclaimed.

Haru grabbed a piece of sushi from his plate uninterestedly, "So?"

"_You're scary too,_" Shigure thought with a sweatdrop.

xxx

Setsuko walked up to her room and shut the door. She grabbed a suitcase from the top of her closet and threw a bunch of clothes, socks and books in.

"That should do it. What more can I possibly need in a hot springs?" Setsuko muttered to no one in particular.

"Now that I think of it, I've never actually been to a hot springs…"

Setsuko snorted, "_Yeah. With Akito locking me up 99 percent of the time…_"

She shut her case silently and set it on the floor.

"_To think of it, for nearly thirteen years, I'd never seen more than those four bare walls_"

Suddenly she remembered something and reached under her bed. She pulled out a black, flat and rectangular box. Hatori had come over couple of days ago and dropped this off. Needless to say, the box was never opened and left to collect dust under her bed.

"_I almost forgot about this…wonder what it is and why he sent it to me?_"

True enough, a thin layer of dust had accumulated on the top. She wiped it all with one hand and pulled off the black wrapping paper. She opened the top slowly and was surprised to find a laptop inside.

"Woah…" Setsuko said.

It was a black, sleek and lightweight laptop. And Setsuko had been dreaming for one of those since she saw Hatori use one in his office when he was examining her…

"_How the hell did he…?_" Setsuko shook her head, "_If he's psychic, God save us all_"

Setsuko sat on the bed and flipped it open.

"_Cool…wireless Internet…_"

Setsuko had been on-line nonstop for more than four hours until Lara had knocked on her door asking her to come down for dinner.

"What time is it?" Setsuko asked.

Lara checked her watch, "It's 7:46. You've been here since three. What have you been doing?"

Setsuko pointed to the laptop on her bed.

"When'd you get that?" Lara inquired, walking beside Setsuko.

"Hatori sent it too me a week ago but I never bother to open it until now"

Lara smiled, "You know, you're warming up to people more than I thought you would"

Setsuko smirked, "Jealous, Lara?"

"In your dreams"

Setsuko rolled her eyes and walked into the dining room. Everyone was already seated except for Shigure and Haru who were missing.

"Hey, where's the perverted writer?" Setsuko asked.

"He's probably still packing" Yuki answered.

Kyo snorted, "He's most likely doing some perverted, hence the name 'Perverted Writer'"

Setsuko sat down and right that very moment, Lara's shrill scream was heard throughout the whole house.

"Oh my!" Tohru exclaimed.

Yuki and Kyo went on alert and Setsuko picked up a piece of fish off her plate calmly, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1…"

"SHIGURE! YOU DAMN PERVERT!" Lara shouted. BLAM! BLAM! Crack!

Yuki and Kyo immediately sat back down with sweat drops on their heads.

"_I knew he was doing something perverted,_" Kyo thought.

"Is Shigure okay?" Tohru asked, "Hearing those sounds after Lara shouted…"

Setsuko looked up from her food, "He's fine Tohru. That man must have a lot of lives to live though all the torture that women he peeked on put him under"

Tohru nodded, unsure of what to answer.

Kyo looked around and asked, "Where's the cow?"

Yuki's eyes widened, "Oh god…no…"

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT NO!" Shigure shouted.

Everyone twitched madly.

"_That's the most perverted thing he could ever do, aside from peeking on Hatori_" Setsuko, Kyo and Yuki thought.

Tohru, still clueless as ever, asked, "What happened? Is Shigure alright?"

Haru walked in the room a few minutes later with a relatively calm expression on his face. Shigure followed his very large bumps on his head.

"He tried to peek at me," Haru said simply.

Kyo and Yuki turned green as Tohru turned tomato red.

"Haru, please, shut up" Setsuko said.

Haru shrugged and dug into his food. Shigure reluctantly sat beside him and edged away quietly. Tohru went into mother hen mode after they ate and began fussing over Shigure.

"Are you sure you're alright Shigure? Do you want anything? Water? Food?" Tohru asked all in one breath.

Shigure fell on the couch gracefully and replied, "Oh dear, dear Tohru! Nothing will be able to warm my cold, cold soul…" He paused for a minute, "Maybe a nice cup of tea and ice cream…"

Tohru nodded and prepared to go into the kitchen when Lara stopped her, "Don't bother Tohru, I'll do it"

Shigure saw the evil glint in Lara's eye and added quickly, "Um…forget it Tohru. I'm not so cold anymore. My soul is on fire actually!"

Kyo popped into the scene and snickered, "Actually, you ass is on fire"

Shigure smiled mischievously, "Thank you Kyo. I never knew you bent that way..."

Kyo looked disgusted and Yuki came into the room, "Shigure, why is your butt on fire?"

Shigure grinned even more, "Why thank both of you!"

Lara laughed out loud, "Baka. You ass is literally on fire. Haru set it aflame"

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

xxx

The next day was just as eventful as the previous one since Lara and Haru continued to plot Shigure's downfall with very interesting results. One time, Lara placed a rubber rat in his soup and he ended up thinking that it was Yuki and tried to mouth-to-mouth resuscitate it.

Then the real Yuki came into the room and ran out back, probably to throw up seeing Shigure kissing a rat whilst shouting 'YUKI!' at random intervals of breath.

"You guys are just as evil as Setsuko" Kyo complained.

Lara and Haru glared at him and said, "Would you prefer us doing it to you then?"

Kyo shrunk back, "Forget I said anything"

They only stopped because Tohru had finally caught on to what they were doing and asked them to stop. And knowing Tohru, you cannot refuse her angelic pout. Besides, they were leaving in an hour and Shigure was still unconscious.

A knock on their door signaled that Hana and Uo had arrived.

Lara opened the door and smiled, "They're waiting in the living room"

Hana and Uo walked to the said place and snickered.

Uo flinched and asked, "Why is Shigure unconscious and tied up with Hatsuharu trying to shave his head?"

Hana smirked and said nothing. Then Shigure woke up and started screaming obscenities when he saw the shaver an inch from his crowning glory.

"NOT MY PRECIOUS HAIR! NOOOOOOOOO!"

Haru immediately dropped the shaver and sat down on the couch, "Hello"

Uo flinched again and smirked, "_He's seriously creepy. Me, Hana, Setsuko and him could make the school bow at our feet…_"

"So are we leaving yet, Miss Uotani?" Yuki asked.

Uo checked her watch and shrugged, "We can leave now if you guys are ready. Where are Tohru and Setsuko?"

"Right here!" Tohru said, coming down from the stairs.

She was decked in pink shorts and a light yellow shirt plus running shoes. Yuki took one look at her and blushed.

"You look nice, Miss Honda" Yuki complimented.

Tohru turned red and smiled, "Thank you. Oh and Setsuko's just finishing her packing"

"I'm here. Are we going yet?"

Everybody's mouth dropped open. Setsuko was wearing something similar to what Tohru was wearing except that her clothes and shoes were black.

"What?" Setsuko snapped, snapping everyone out of their stupor.

"Are you in shorts?" Uo asked.

"So?"

"You look great" Hana said.

Kyo and Yuki sweatdropped and thought, "_Yeah. You're wearing as much black as her_"

Everybody already went outside and Lara met them at the door.

"Have fun" Lara said.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Lara?" Tohru asked.

Lara nodded, "It's fine. I'm going to booby trap the house so when Shigure gets in, he'll die in tremendous pain before he even comes near the kitchen"

The door snapped shut.

"I like her" Hana stated, heading for the parked van in the driveway.

Tohru smiled and Uo said, "I do too"

Kyo took one look at the vehicle they were supposed to be riding in and felt his jaw drop to the floor.

"Is that…a car?" he asked nervously.

Yuki looked at the car too and sweatdropped, "Miss Uotani, are those…designs really necessary?"

The entire van was done in a black paint job with the Legendary Red Butterfly's sign on one side. Beside it was a white skull.

"Cool ride" Setsuko commented, climbing inside. It was actually quite spacey.

Yuki sat behind Setsuko and Tohru sat beside him. Shigure was sitting in the very back and Kyo did not want to sit anywhere near the writer or the lovebirds. So there was only one more place to sit…

He grumbled loudly about fate being against him and reluctantly took a seat beside Setsuko. Uo sat in the driver's side and looked in the mirror. She saw Kyo beside Setsuko and smirked.

Oh she was going to have fun driving…they're in for The Ride of Their Lives.

xxx

PS: Poor Shigure…Lara and Haru are both out to get him. MUAHAHA! And Uo has some 'Evil' things planned in mind for their trip…cackles madly

Review!

-SaMiE-


	11. In the Forest

A/N: A CHAPTER OUT AFTER A MONTH OF TESTS AND EXAMS! YAYNESS! Praise Kami-sama! I'm really, really sorry that I waited a month and more to update but we had our Long Tests and our Quarterly Exams!

Forgive me?

To make up for it, I made this chapter extra long… 3,011 words to be exact! This is actually the longest chapter I've ever written! Yay me!

Now…follow me and let us journey towards the light coughhelldarkshadowscough!

xxx

'_Death is not an easy thing to understand…in reality, very few people manage to get it in their life time…_' Setsuko typed silently on the black keyboard of her laptop.

"What are you doing there anyway?" Kyo asked, after being entranced by the grace of motion in her typing.

Setsuko smirked for a bit and replied shortly, "Chatting with Hana"

Kyo snapped his head to the said Goth and stifled a scream. Hana was sitting beside him with a laptop on her lap too.

"How the hell did you get there?" Kyo asked incredulously.

Hana gave him this evil look and he cowered down in his seat, "_She's damn scary…_"

Hana read the IM and smiled. She typed away, '_And it just so happens we're one of those people_'

Setsuko read the message and snorted, '_Is that a good thing or a bad thing?_'

'_Depends on your perspective_'

'_Too right you are_'

Setsuko snapped the unit closed and so did Hana. Kyo looked at them both and sank even lower in his seat.

"_How can I get such bad luck? Sitting beside this two is torture!_"

He turned his head back to look at how Haru was fairing, sitting next to Shigure has got to be one hell of a scarring experience.

Kyo sweatdropped.

Shigure was the very end of his seat, edging away from Haru who was reading a book. Shigure looked ready to piss in his pants.

"Kyo..." he said in a small voice, "Want to exchange seats with me?"

Kyo actually considered changing with him until Setsuko said bluntly, "I don' t want to sit next to a perverted writer"

"Neither do I" Hana added.

Shigure turned paler and shivered when he felt Haru's eyes looking at him.

"_Dear, dear God, what have I done to make you mad? Show me a sign!_" Shigure thought desperately.

The sky turned dark and thunder rumbled. Then a cord of lightning struck the window, frying him. After that, everything went back to normal.

Uo looked at the rearview mirror and commented, "Damn. You must've done something to get Kami-sama pissed"

Shigure cried waterfalls and slumped back in his seat, muttering something about Red Light District and how he was sorry for it.

"I don't even want to know" Setsuko said, turning her attention out the window. She let a small smile grace her lips. As the green fields passed, she couldn't help but remember a distant memory when her parents were still alive.

She had been very little back then when they had a family road trip. The car had broken down and seeing as it was still in the middle of the afternoon, they all decided to have a picnic in one of the empty fields. Setsuko remembered running around in her bare feet chasing small rabbits in the tall grass. It actually looked like a scene out of a movie. But remember, the movies only show the peaceful scenes _after _the bad stuff happened.

She sighed and looked away. Too many memories still made her want to go back into her dark room and not come out. But things were different now. She wasn't alone anymore.

She diverted her attention to the couple behind her who had turned silent. She smirked when she saw the two sleeping, their heads on top of one another.

"_You two should take care of each other…I know you will, but I wish that you won't make any mistakes to destroy everything…_"

After about half an hour, Uo stopped the van for a rest stop. She had some gas put in and everyone climbed down for a bathroom break and some snacks.

Setsuko and Haru went inside the snack bar and bought almost ten bags of food. Junk food mostly, plus a bunch of stuff that they just thought looked cool. Setsuko threw a bunch of bills on the counter and went outside, where Kyo was standing behind Yuki and Tohru who were holding hands. He looked annoyed and depressed at the same time.

Haru took the other bags from Setsuko and said, "Hey, I'll go put this in the car"

Setsuko nodded and smirked, "You do know that Shigure's still in the car, right?"

Haru got this malicious glint in his eye and stalked back to the van. That left Setsuko wondering…what other stuff did he buy? A series of screams followed and Setsuko just shook her head, thinking, "_Poor Shigure_"

She walked silently and stopped behind Kyo, "Staring is bad, Kyon-chan"

He jumped about a mile in the air and glared at her, "Scaring people out of their wits is bad too"

He pouted and Setsuko just snorted at him, "Oh just accept that you're jealous"

He crossed his arms and looked at the horizon, "What should I be jealous of?"

Setsuko walked off saying, "Because they have someone to run to"

Everyone climbed back in the car as Uo consulted the map again for directions.

"Let's go!" She said cheerily.

Hana, this time, sat beside Setsuko.

"Where did you go? You weren't in the bathroom when I checked" Setsuko asked.

Her eyes glinted evilly and replied, "I had a talk with Shigure after his 'playtime' with Haru"

Kyo had been listening to the conversation and attempted to look back at Shigure when Setsuko stopped him, "Don't"

"You don't want to look at him right now. He might not be…himself," Yuki added.

"I'm not about to follow orders from a dumb rat!" Kyo said indignantly and looked over his shoulder.

His mouth dropped open as he faced front again with a glazed look in his eyes. Shigure was behind him, looking like a male version of Sadako + the Grudge all in one.

"I told you so," Yuki said triumphantly.

Tohru looked over at Shigure unflinchingly and asked, "Shigure, are you okay?"

Shigure snapped his head towards her and she promptly shut up and looked away, "He looks scary"

Yuki rubbed her arm and said, "It's okay Miss Honda. I'm guessing that it's a side affect from Haru and Hana's fun"

Tohru smiled and nodded. Kyo saw all that and felt anger bubbling up inside him.

Hana turned to him and said, "You shouldn't be jealous, Kyo. You do have someone to run to. You just can't see her yet, not now"

Kyo opened his mouth to reply but Hana was no longer listening.

"_Damn that psychic and her cryptic talking!_" Kyo grumbled in his mind.

After an hour, they were still nowhere near the hot springs.

"Hey Yankee, what's taking so long?" Kyo complained.

Uo scratched her head and laughed nervously, "I think we're lost"

"The car is going to break down," Hana said monotonously.

"What the he—" Kyo started then the car jolted forward.

Uo went outside and inspected the engine.

"The engine blew" Uo stated.

"Can you fix it?" Haru asked, getting out of the car.

Uo inspected the damage again, "I honestly don't know"

"So we're stuck here?" Yuki asked.

"Looks like it" Setsuko said, opening her window.

Tohru looked around, "Oh my. What are we going to do? Sunset is coming soon"

Hana and Haru walked to the back of the car with non-readable expressions.

"What are you two doing?" Kyo asked.

His mouth dropped open (again) as the two pitched two BIG tents, one blue and one black.

"You knew the van was going to break down way before it even happened…that's why so told Uo to stop over for bathroom break" Shigure concluded.

Hana didn't say anything but nodded.

"So what the hell are we supposed to do?" Kyo demanded.

Uo tried her cellphone only to find that there was no signal in wherever place they were, "We have to spend the night here"

"Why don't we just look for a nearby phone now?"

Yuki cut in and said, "Stupid cat, it's almost sunset and there's no use searching for a phone after dark"

Setsuko sighed and climbed out of the car, "You guys better get some wood for a fire so we can stay warm"

After finding some fallen branches, Setsuko commented, "We look like we're camping, not going to a hot springs"

"Don't look at me. It was the map's fault" Uo said.

Haru took the map from her and asked, "How exactly did you read this map?"

Uo grabbed it back and showed him.

Haru sighed and flipped the map over, "You've been reading it upside down"

"Whoops?"

Kyo sat Indian Style on the ground, trying to start a fire but still couldn't, "How the hell am I supposed to start the damned fire?"

Shigure took the box of matches from him and also attempted to start a fire. He failed.

Setsuko took the matches from the Incompetent Ones and lit a fire easily, "You guys are either stupid or retarded"

"I bet on retarded" Yuki commented.

Hana sat down, "Kami-sama had placed a curse on the perverted writer because of all his perverted deeds"

Shigure paled instantly. Uo laughed her head off at his reaction.

"Everyone is out to get me," Shigure muttered, crossing his arms.

Setsuko sat down and said, "If you weren't such a damn Hentai, Kami-sama wouldn't have been pissed and cursed you"

Kyo's stomach grumbled loudly as he complained, "Isn't anyone going to cook any damn food? I'm starving over here"

Tohru jumped up and said, "Oh I'm sorry! How inconsiderate of me! I'll start cooking right away!"

Kyo blushed, "Erm…I didn't mean it that way…sorry…"

Tohru smiled and went to the car to get some frozen meals she had picked out in the Snack Bar.

"Watch what you're saying, stupid cat" Yuki snapped.

"What are you going to do about it?" Kyo retorted, "Call all your rat friends to attack me while I sleep?"

"Cats? Rats?" Uo asked, confused.

Kyo turned red and said quickly, "Umm…Yuki has this freakish obsession with rats…"

Yuki glared at him, "Don't mind him. He's retarded, remember?"

Haru turned his head to where Tohru had headed and asked, "Where's Tohru?"

"Huh?" Uo turned her head too, "Which way did she go?"

Setsuko pointed to the left as Uo sweatdropped.

Hana pointed the opposite way, "The car is that way"

"Is that girl _that _dense?" Setsuko muttered to no one in particular but everyone nodded anyway.

Shigure clasped his hands together and stated, "Oh my dear poor, poor Tohru! In what dark and scary place have you gone?"

He turned to the teens and waved his hands at them, "All of you should go and find her as I stay here and await the wondrous hour upon when she will return"

Everyone stood up and glared at him, "_Coward_" they all thought.

Yuki, Haru and Hana stood up first and walked inside the woods.

"Okaaay…" Uo said, "Kyo-chan, you go with Setsuko, I'll catch up with Yuki, Haru and Hana. Who knows what they might get up to with adult supervision?"

Uo turned green when she saw the look on Kyo's face, "Not that, Carrot-top! You're such a Hentai!"

Kyo turned red and shouted, "To hell with it!'

He stomped into the forest with Setsuko at his heels.

"Slow down won't you?" Setsuko said.

Kyo stopped and heaved a big breath, "Hurry up, damnit"

Setsuko rolled her eyes and shined out the flashlight she had brought with her, "How far could Tohru have gone? I can't really her as the forest-trekking type"

Kyo started walking again when Setsuko caught up with him, "Where the hell is she?"

Setsuko shined her light around some more and commented, "You cuss way, way too much"

Kyo stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Whatever"

Setsuko looked slightly and saw a few ravens fly overhead.

"What the--?" Kyo stated when he saw the black birds flying above them.

Setsuko looked back down and began to walk faster, "Let's hurry up and find the lost rice ball. There's a storm coming"

Kyo's eyes shadowed over and he too began to walk faster, "Are you psychic or something?"

Setsuko didn't answer and continued heading forward.

"HEY! SET---" silence.

Setsuko turned around sharply and squinted her eyes "_This isn't good…_"

"Kyo?" She walked back to where Kyo was supposed to be, "Where are---FUCK"

She felt herself loose her footing and slide down a slope. Rocks and twigs hit her as she slid past and the ground colliding with her ass did not help at all.

"Shit…" Setsuko turned her flashlight back and on and shined them on her legs.

They were covered in small scratches and a deep-looking cut on her right leg, "Damnit"

Kyo, who too had fallen down the cursed slope, came up to her, "Setsuko? Are you okay?"

"Just peachy, Kyon-kyon" Setsuko said sarcastically, "Now help me"

Kyo spotted the wound on her leg and pulled her up, "Can you walk?"

Setsuko nodded, "With limp, yeah. Come on, let's just go back to the site. We are not going to find…"

She stopped short and looked up.

"What?" Kyo asked.

At that moment, the rain began to fall.

"Shit" Kyo muttered as his face suddenly lost all color.

"Come on" Setsuko snapped.

As she took one-step forward and winced.

"Are you sure, you can walk?" Kyo asked uncertainly.

Setsuko sighed impatiently, "Is said yes. Now lets---oh fuck"

Her knee buckled under the pain from the cut and she nearly fell to the ground. Kyo caught her with his fast reflexes.

"You can walk, huh?" Kyo joked pathetically.

Setsuko glared at him, "Now what are we going to do?"

Kyo shook his head and kneeled with his back to her, "I'll give you a ride. You are not getting anywhere with that leg"

Setsuko looked skeptical but eventually hopped on the cat's back. Kyo smiled slightly and began heading off in the opposite direction where they were previously going.

xxx

After a few minutes of searching, Yuki finally found Tohru walking around in the forest with a confused look on her face.

"YUKI!" She shouted, nearly glomping him.

"Miss Honda! Where have you been? Everyone's been out looking for you" Yuki said, covering Tohru with his jacket.

Tohru scratched her head, "I'm sorry. I got lost and then I realized I was in the forest…"

Yuki took her hand lightly and pulled it, "It's okay. The good thing is that you're all right. Let's go…"

Tohru smiled and followed Yuki out, still holding on to his hand, "Ooh! Look a squirrel!"

Yuki shook his head at her innocence and thought, "_She might not be the brightest person in the world but her genuine kindness is enough to win anyone over…maybe except the Prince Yuki Fan Club…" _Yuki cringed at that thought.

"Yuki?" Tohru asked.

Yuki looked at her, "Yes, Miss Honda?"

"Do you think everyone else is okay? What if they're still looking for me?"

Yuki rubbed her palm a bit and replied "Don't worry, they've probably realized that I found you and are probably in the site now"

Tohru nodded and walked faster since the rainfall was getting heavier.

"_I wonder if Yuki and the others are mad? I didn't mean to get lost…it's just the way I've always been…what if Yuki wasn't here? What would become of me?_" Tohru smiled, "_No…he wouldn't do that. He promised he'll always be here…and even if he isn't, I'll try and be strong…"_

They reached the site and prepared to greet the others until they saw Uo trying to beat Haru to a bloody pulp while Hana and Shigure watched. Yuki sweatdropped as Tohru began waving her arms frantically.

"Oh dear! Please don't do that, Uo! Haru might get hurt really bad!" Tohru exclaimed.

Uo stopped at Tohru's voice and slapped her hands together, "No need to worry Tohru. He'll live"

"What did Hatsuharu do, Miss Uotani?" Yuki inquired.

Uo grew a vein, "Well, stupid over there made us go round and round in a circle nearly twenty times before he realized that we weren't getting anywhere. And then he almost led us straight over a cliff! He has absolutely no sense of direction!"

"…like a cow" Hana finished.

Yuki and Tohru both froze on the spot.

Shigure waved his hand back and forth and asked, "What would make you say that?"

"One" Hana lifted a finger, "He's there but normally, no one really notices. Second," Another finger went up, "He has no sense of direction"

"…and you have concluded that…?" Yuki asked.

"I've concluded that…" Hana paused. Everyone was holding their breath, "…Hatsuharu Sohma is really a---"

"Hey! Isn't that Kyo?" Uo shouted, pointing towards a clearing in the forest.

Haru squinted, "And isn't that Setsuko on Kyo's back?"

Shigure bounded towards them happily while exclaiming, "How wonderful! The two of them have managed to elope together and are now coming back to show us their wedding rings!"

Kyo walked calmly towards a stump, placed Setsuko down and began clobbering Shigure near to death.

"YOU PERVERTED FREAK! WHY DON'T YOU KEEP YOU'RE DAMN COMMENTS TO YOURSELF?" Kyo shouted.

"Kyo, stop it. You're killing him," Yuki said, "He's no use as a bellboy to us if he's dead"

Kyo stopped his foot inches away from Shigure's face and stomped angrily to the car muttering about annoying perverted writers.

"A little help here" Setsuko snapped, annoyed.

Uo ran over to her and asked, "That looks nasty. What happened to it?"

"Kyo fell down a slope" Hana said.

"What does that have to do with her gash?"

"She fell after him" Haru replied.

"And you know this why?" Setsuko asked suspiciously.

Haru looked back at the car and said, "Oh dear. Yuki seems to need help unhitching the tents. I must go help him"

"I'll come too," Hana added, following him.

"Those two are impossible. Sometimes I regret letting them meet" Uo said, "Come on, I'll help you"

Setsuko took Uo's hand and winced a little.

"_So this is what it feels like to have some care about you…_" Setsuko smiled hobbled over to the car, "_I like it…and not even Akito could ruin this day_"

xxx

PS: Didja likee me chappy? Okay…that just sound wrong…boo freakin' hoo (got this from my friend Kayle who go it from somewhere on line…). SOOOOOWWWW, what did you think?

Crappy? Good? Annoying?

Click the purplish-blue button and find out!

-SaMiE-

(by the way, if you have a similar brain like mine coughsadistevilcough you would pick up the hints I placed here about the ending…which is not coming anytime soon, but I just wanted to torture the people who can see the underlying meaning of this chapter)


	12. Hot Springs

A/N: Yay! Long Test week is over! The one thing I hate about our school is that they feel the need to give us two big tests per quarter, the Long Test and the Quarterly Exams. They torture us. Screw them. Poo.

This chap mainly has a bit of humor, plus drama at the end.

You know, I've just realized that I've been leaving hints that no one sees except me about the ending.

Woohoo! jumps up in sheer happiness

xxx

Hatori arrived about fifteen minutes later into the clearing where they had parked their car.

Setsuko raised an eyebrow and asked, "How the hell did you get here that fast?"

Hatori walked towards her, med kit in hand and said, "Sit still. Your leg might be infected"

Setsuko propped her foot on the seat and watched Hatori inspect it closely.

"How did this happen?" He asked.

Setsuko shrugged so Yuki answered for her, "Well, she fell down a slope. It was Kyo's fault"

Hatori began to clean the wound and asked uninterestedly, "Hmm…how so?"

Kyo turned red and shouted, "Shut up! It wasn't my fault!"

Uo rolled her eyes and replied, "Well for one thing, if you hadn't fallen down the mini-cliff at all and made Setsuko worried, she would never have fallen"

"Who said I was worried?" Setsuko snapped.

"You guys are in such denial," Uo said, laughing.

Setsuko snorted and retorted, "The percentage of me or Kyon-Kyon being in denial is the same percentage as you getting together with Shigure"

Uo's left eye twitched as she made gagging noises.

"My thoughts exactly" Setsuko said.

"Hey!" Shigure protested, his hands on his hips.

Tohru looked at Hatori and asked cheerfully, "Hatori, would you like to join us on our trip? Since Uo probably knows the right direction already, we'll get there in no time!"

Shigure nodded vigorously, "Yeah, Hari! It'll be fun. Besides, Imagine all the pretty young girls there!"

Yuki rolled his eyes and commented, "Please stop trying to sound like a pedophile"

Tohru looked confused and asked, "What's a pedophile?"

Hana stepped beside Tohru and answered monotonously, "A child molester"

Tohru turned red and started stuttering, "B-but Shigure would never do that!"

"_Oh yeah he would_" Everybody else thought.

"So will you come?" Uo asked.

Hatori flicked his eyes on the pleading face of his best friend and Tohru's smiling expression.

"Fine"

"Yaaay!" Shigure shouted, waving his pompoms in the air.

"Now that is just gay," Setsuko muttered, puling her bandaged leg away from Hatori.

Everyone went into their respective cars but Shigure walked over to Hatori's and rode with him.

"I don't wanna sit next to Haru! He's plotting my demise" Shigure had complained loudly, making Hatori agree.

After thirty minutes, the group had found their way to the hot springs.

"Wow! It's…HUGE" Kyo said in surprise.

Uo stepped out of the car with her mouth hanging open, "They weren't kidding when the brochure said that the building was almost as big as a castle"

"Cool" Haru commented.

Yuki smiled and helped Tohru out of the car, "Alright, Miss Honda?"

Tohru nodded and blushed, "Thank you, Yuki"

Kyo looked at them and once again huffed in annoyance.

Setsuko saw this and smirked, "You're not jealous, right?"

Kyo grunted loudly and stomped away.

Hana looked at the building closely and said, "Bad events will happen in this place"

Hatori looked at her with curiosity in his eyes.

Hana took Tohru by the hand and said, "…Soon…come on, Tohru"

"She's psychic" Yuki explained to Hatori.

Setsuko sighed and snapped, "Are we going in or not?"

"By all means…go first," Shigure offered.

Setsuko narrowed her eyes.

"…Or not" Shigure squeaked, running inside.

Setsuko rolled her eyes and walked inside, taking in her surroundings.

The old Japanese building had been built here nearly a hundred years ago and wasn't damaged by the battles and wars that had happened during her time. Recently, the owner just died and left it to her niece. The niece fell in love with the place and decided to renovate it and make it into a hot springs.

Once she had reached the front desk, a lady in a yellow kimono was greeting Tohru and the others who had gotten there first.

"Are these your friends?" she asked.

Tohru smiled and nodded.

The lady nodded back and said, "Then let me show you your rooms"

She led the way down the hall and into the next floor. Tohru, Setsuko, Hana and Uo were all in one room and Yuki, Kyo, Haru, Hatori and Shigure were in another down the hall.

Uo stood with her hands on her hips and declared, "Good thing that pervert is far away from our room"

Tohru scratched her head and asked, "When we made reservations, weren't the boys' room supposed to be beside us?"

Hana turned to Tohru and replied, "I told the manager that I was not going to let them sleep with a pervert beside our room"

"So they moved them down the hall" Setsuko finished, placing her suitcase on the bed.

A few minutes later, Yuki and Kyo walked inside their room.

"Have you finished unpacking?" Yuki asked.

"Yup!" Uo said happily.

Kyo looked at the one queen sized bed, "Who gets the bed?"

"Tohru" the three girls answered.

Tohru waved her hands and protested, "No! I'll sleep on the floor! I can't have my friends sleep on the floor alone when—"

Setsuko shut her up by tapping the back of her head lightly, "You get the bed and that's final"

Tohru's eyes watered and she twisted around, hugging Setsuko.

"That's just…so nice of you" Tohru said, her voice muffled.

Setsuko smiled, a real one and patted Tohru's back, "Yeah. Now stop crying. You're getting my shirt wet"

Tohru laughed and wiped her eyes, "Sorry…"

Everyone around the room was smiling.

xxx

"Hey! Why don't we all go for a walk around the building! It's so big!" Tohru offered, during their lunch.

"Why not?" Haru said, looking at Yuki, "Yuki can come with me"

"No Haru. I'm not going with you" Yuki said, "I'll stay with Miss Honda"

"Let's all just go together," Uo said.

"Good idea" Setsuko said absently, typing away at her laptop.

"What is it with girls and computers?" Kyo mumbled through his mouthful of food.

"Don't talk when your eating, Kyo!" Shigure reprimanded, "It's rude"

"Speak for yourself" Kyo shot back, swallowing.

"Don't fight at the table," Hatori said in a fatherly-ish way, making the two shut up.

He turned to Setsuko, "I take it you like the laptop?"

Setsuko nodded briefly in his direction and said, "Yes. Thank you by the way"

Uo raised an eyebrow, "You gave her that?"

"Yes" Hatori replied, "Is that a problem?"

"Not really. You just seem to be the person who likes giving gifts for no occasion," Uo said nonchalantly.

This time Hatori raised an eyebrow, "Of course it was an occasion. It was---"

"Good Evening" Hana said walking in the dining room.

"Where'd you come from?" Kyo asked.

Hana stared him down as he cowered in his seat, "I had some…issues to attend to"

Tohru looked at her and asked, "What issues? Is anything wrong, Hana?"

Hana sat down in between Tohru and Uo, "Nothing's wrong. Everything is fine…now at least. I took care of it. You don't need to worry, Tohru"

"What exactly was the problem anyway?" Setsuko asked, snapping shut her laptop.

Hana shrugged, "One of the workers here bumped into me and refused to apologize. I had a talk with him and he eventually did"

"Do we even want to know?" Yuki asked,

"You probably wouldn't" Hana replied, placing her chopsticks in one hand.

Shigure clapped his hands happily, "Well, we were planning on exploring the building. It seems very big, no?"

"Whatever" Hana replied.

Haru turned to Hatori and asked, "Hey Hatori, what was the occasion you were talking about?"

Hatori looked at Setsuko and said, "It was Setsuko's birthday"

"WHAT?" Everyone shouted at the same time.

Tohru started panicking, "Oh dear! We didn't know! We're so sorry! I promise I'll make it up to you!"

Setsuko brushed her off, "Don't worry about it. It wasn't that important"

"Yes it was!" Tohru argued.

Uo rolled her eyes, "Hello, of course its important. Your date of birth, remember?"

Setsuko stood up, "My date of birth was nothing to be celebrated about"

She walked out, leaving her computer on the floor.

xxx

Setsuko walked out into the night and sighed, "_I shouldn't have lost it like that. They were only trying to be nice_"

She climbed up the balcony and onto the roof.

"_Maybe Akito was somewhat right…I'm not meant to be with them…. not now. It's too soon_"

Setsuko looked up at the starry sky and sighed once more, "_For once in my life, I want to feel normal. To be the person I want to be without restrictions_"

A drop of water fell on her face. Setsuko didn't even bother to go back to room nor get up. She likes the rain.

"_Sometimes I even think that if I stay in the rain long enough, it'll wash away all my problems. Too bad that's just a bunch on shit. Never gonna happen_"

Then rain fell harder, soaking her clothes and herself in them.

"_Of all people why me? But then again…better me than anyone else_"

Setsuko guesses that it's probably part of their curse. She always feels that she should take all the sufferings of the world on her own shoulders. She feels the need to be the one to take all the sadness away even if it burdens her even more. The compassion she feels for all those screaming in her sleep never wanes. If possible it even gets stronger.

There has always been more to the curse than meets the eye.

Setsuko is an example.

How can a sixteen-year-old girl as herself be able to weight upon herself the suffering of people who are twice her age? Each and every sob story has significance. Each and every death means something to someone. There is always someone who cares. Before, Setsuko was even afraid that when it was her time to die, no one would care because no one knew she existed.

But when she moved out of the Main House, it's like those fears melted away.

There would be someone who would notice her absence from the world. More than she hoped for in fact.

Setsuko pulled out a small razor blade from the sole of her shoe and watched it glint in the moonlight. She reveled in the feeling of steel against skin and drew it slowly across her flesh. She stared as the soft, pale skin turn red, split open and began to flow over with blood. The little droplets of blood were like the replacement for her tears.

Crimson tears. The rain still washed it all away.

She slipped the blade back inside her shoe and continued staring out at the night sky.

"Setsuko?" Kyo's voice called.

Setsuko didn't even stir and continued lying there. Kyo walked up to her with his jacket over his head.

"Let's go! We're getting drenched" Kyo complained.

"Then go away. I'm already wet"

"Don't be stubborn" Kyo pressed, "Tohru's getting worried. She thought she made you angry"

Setsuko sat up and climbed down the ladder, "_ I never could resist that girl, could I? Even Akito couldn't_"

The moment she got into the room, Tohru rushed over to her, smothering her with towels, pillows and hot compresses.

"I'msorryiImadeyouangry!Ididn'tmeanit—" Tohru said in one breath.

"It's fine, Tohru. I just needed some time alone, okay?"

Tohru nodded and handed her two towels.

"You okay now?" Uo asked.

"I'm fine"

Yuki smiled slightly, "You had us worried there"

"Sorry"

Hana looked her with pressing eyes and said, "You're bleeding, Setsuko"

Setsuko looked down at her arm, "I must've cut it up on the roof tiles"

"You must've" Hana said monotonously.

"I'll go call Hatori. He's downstairs with Shigure" Haru said, rushing downstairs.

Tohru ran out of the room and came back with another towel. Setsuko nodded at her and pressed the towel on the cut on her right arm. Hatori came up a few seconds later followed by Shigure.

"You seem to be in a lot of accidents often" Hatori commented curiously.

"Whatever"

"Is she gonna be fine, doc?" Uo asked, peering over Hatori's shoulder.

"Yes. It was just a shallow cut. It'll heal soon"

Yuki looked at his watch and said, "It's late. We should all turn in"

They all nodded in agreement as the boys went to their respective room. The lights were then turned off and Setsuko felt the bandages on her wrist.

"**_They'll find out eventually,_**" a voice said from the back of her head.

"I know"

xxx

PS: You like it? Setsuko's cutting again but it'll eventually stop though…poor Setsuko.

Review or…or…I'll CRY!!!

Pathetic, I know. Screw that. I tend to say the word 'screw' often nowadays…

Ciao!

-SaMiE-


	13. Cutting

A/N: A quick update! Shocker. I usually don't update until one or two weeks but hey, I was in a good mood and our final exams for the third quarter are coming up this Tuesday. So I decided to post this before my computer privileges are taken away because my dad is coming back soon. I might not be able to go online cause he monitors my Internet usage.

Damn fathers.

This chapter is depressing to put it bluntly. Lots of bad stuff, a bunch of fluff and you get Chapter 13: **_Cutting_**

Onwards!

xxx

The nightmares started again.

"_**PLEASE! Don't take him away! He is all I have left…"**_

"_**It's my job. I can't save anyone" Setsuko replied, monotone.**_

_**The woman's eyes burned with hatred, "How can you live with yourself? You live knowing that you KILL people who have so much left to do with their lives"**_

"_**I never wanted to do this"**_

"_**Then why do you keep on doing it?"**_

"_**It's not like a have a choice!"**_

_**The woman snorted, "You've always had a choice"**_

Suddenly the woman disappeared and the little girl version of herself appeared again.

"_**You're pushing them away again" she said, sounding disappointed.**_

_**Setsuko didn't say anything. She was just replaying that scene of the woman on her knees begging her to spare her son's life.**_

"_**Why don't you accept them into your life?" she asked, "You were starting to open up…but you pushed them all away"**_

_**Setsuko looked at her younger self "They were never close to me to begin with"**_

_**This time the small girl got angry, "How can you say that? They are trying to so HARD to get to you. What is wrong with you?"**_

"_**Everything" Setsuko replied simply, letting her head loll against the wall she was leaning on.**_

_**The girls eyes looked into her own, "Don't be selfish, Setsuko. You're not the only one suffering the more you try to keep everyone away"**_

Setsuko shot up straight from her futon and brushed the wet strands of hair from her face, "_That's the first time she got angry_"

The morning light was just starting to come through the window, as everyone was still asleep.

"The world is so unfair" Setsuko muttered, lying back down, attempting to go to sleep.

Hana turned towards her and said, "You're awake"

Setsuko was startled, "Yeah"

"Did you have a nightmare?" she asked quietly.

Setsuko turned the other way, "It's none of your business"

She heard Hana sigh in disappointment. She closed her eyes, memories of her ever too real dream flashing before her eyes.

"You keep everything in too much" Hana whispered, "Learn to let go"

Setsuko looked at her sharply, sitting up. Hana's eyes were glazed over…

"What?"

Hana shook her head and the glaze disappeared, "Sorry…what were you saying?"

Setsuko sighed and rubbed her eyes, "Nothing", "_Fucking mind games…_"

"I'm going to go out for some air," Setsuko said.

Hana didn't reply. Setsuko yawned and stood up. She made her way towards another door opposite the main one and slid it open. Their suite opened up to one the immensely beautiful gardens of the hot springs. Everything looked so…alive; completely the opposite of what Setsuko was currently feeling.

"_Death isn't even an option for me_"

The breeze was warm and inviting. Warmness made her forget about all those souls that she takes. The moment that they pass on to the other side, the place becomes so cold that you begin to wonder why you yourself aren't emitting any heat. The moment that the soul leaves…Setsuko feels dead. No life, nothing, only a creeping feeling of emptiness that refuses to go away.

It's sad. Depressing even. But she's used to it.

Setsuko sighed, rubbing her arms up and down, intensifying the heat.

"_I do push everyone away…. it's just what I do. I can't stop it"_

Setsuko rubbed harder but the heat seemed to evade her. It wouldn't stay for long.

"_The cold is spreading…its getting worse_"

Setsuko walked back inside and breathed out. For some odd reason, her breath made small mists in the air even though it was hot out.

"_I am cold…why doesn't the cold stop anymore?_"

A voice piped up inside her mind, "**_The cold doesn't stop anymore because you don't let the warmness help you. If you keep on doing this, the cold might just succeed in completely freezing you up. You were once winter…then the snow started melting away and spring was starting to come. Then you stopped it, and now time is reversing itself and winter is returning_**"

"_Was my mind always this cryptic?_" Setsuko thought, sourly.

"**_Stop killing yourself, Setsuko_**"

"I'm not killing myself," Setsuko whispered, walking out into the corridor.

"You're up early" Hatori commented, "How's your arm?"

Setsuko looked at the bandage and replied, "It's fine"

She started turning the other direction when Hatori asked her, "Where did you get that cut anyway?"

Setsuko let out another breath that she was holding, "Up on the roof. The tiles are pretty sharp. Guess I found out too late, huh?"

Hatori didn't say anything but Setsuko knew that wheels were turning in his mind. There was no way he was going to buy that lame excuse. But then again, she was an excellent liar.

"I'm going to get some breakfast…"

Hatori nodded and walked away.

"**_I told you they'd find out eventually_**"

"_They don't know anything yet. Now shut up_" Setsuko thought, "_I'm going crazy…I'm telling the voice inside my head to keep quiet_"

Setsuko shook her dark brown hair out of her eyes and made her way towards the kitchen. She grabbed a rice ball from the chef and sat in the hot springs' breakfast room that was an expanse of tatami mats and grounded breakfast tables. She noticed Kyo and Yuki sitting there and made up her mind to sit with them. The two were just staring off into space with increasing bored expressions on their faces.

"Waiting for Tohru?" Setsuko asked.

Yuki's eyes showed a flicker of interest but he quickly masked it up. Kyo's expression just showed plain annoyance.

"What would we want from that ditz anyway?" he muttered, looking away.

Yuki looked at Setsuko feigning disinterest, "Where is she?"

Setsuko rolled her eyes and replied, "She's still sleeping. I guess after looking for me all night tired her out"

"I'll go check on her," Yuki said, standing up and heading for the girls' room.

"What were you doing up on the roof, anyway?" Kyo asked.

Setsuko snorted, "How would you reply if I directed the same question towards you?"

Kyo shrugged, "I go to high places because they're great places where you can be alone and just think"

Setsuko smirked, "You just answered your own question"

"You're weird"

"I know. I wouldn't be Setsuko if I wasn't"

The comfortable silence lasted for, oh I don't know, five minutes until Shigure came bursting in and jostling everyone else eating in the room.

"Care to be a little less vulgar, Shigure?" Setsuko said dryly.

Kyo glared at him and snapped. "Do you have to do that all the time? It's not a damn play or something"

Shigure was suddenly surrounded by pink roses once again and replied, "Well, Kyo…the world's a stage for a person of my stature"

"Yeah, a person who used to live in a rundown house with two teenagers beating each other to a pulp every single day"

"Hey! It's only Kyo who gets beat up after he and Yuki fight" Shigure protested indignantly.

"Shut up" Kyo commanded.

"You should follow their advice, Shigure. Lord knows you're only speaking the truth," a cold and eerie voice said from behind him.

The two teens stiffened up considerably.

"Well, well. Isn't this nice? So this is where Hatori had bounded off to when he called in and said he was going to take a few days off"

"Hello, Akito. Long time no see since you visited a couple of months ago"

Akito smiled, "Yes…it has indeed be quite long since we saw each other. Isn't that right, Setsuko? Kyo?"

The two neither blinked nor replied.

"They're just tired" Shigure assured Akito, "So, what may we owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Akito sat down beside Shigure, "I just wanted to see how my other zodiacs are doing. Sad thing you're the only one here, Shigure"

Setsuko stood up and said icily, "Better him than us, right Akito? I'm going to take a walk. Coming, Kyo?"

Kyo nodded weakly and followed suit.

Akito narrowed his eyes at their retreating figure, "She has become insolent. I thought that after living with you, she would've retained her manners"

"People change, Akito. Remember that," Shigure reminded.

Akito seemed irritated at his statement and said, "Well, this change of hers is something I do not approve of"

He stood up fluidly and said one last thing before leaving, "Remedy this immediately before I do. And by the way, make sure to check all the soles of her shoes. Some habits are hard to kill"

xxx

Setsuko and Kyo were walking through one of the spa's gardens when Kyo broke the tensed silence.

"What the hell was he doing here anyway?"

Setsuko looked up at a Sakura tree, "Does he have a reason to anything he does? Or rather reasons that he voices out?"

"I guess not"

"I assume that if you did have the chance to know, you would chose not too. His mind is…complicated. I supposed that's one thing he and I share"

Kyo snorted, "His mind is not complicated. It's utterly insane. There is probably no reason to why he does things the way he does them"

Setsuko shook her head and looked into Kyo's eyes, "There's a reason for everything, Kyo"

For the first time since they met, Kyo realized how _haunted _Setsuko's eyes looked. It's like they were void of any emotion.

"Your eyes…" Kyo mumbled.

Setsuko looked away, "You judge people too much"

Kyo looked offended, "You of all people should be the last person to understand Akito"

"Yuki told me the same thing"

"Why do you, anyway?"

"Do what?"

"Understand people like him?"

"It's a part of my curse" Setsuko replied shortly.

Kyo chuckled, "You really are something, Setsuko"

"Hey…isn't that Uo and Hana?"

Kyo snapped his head away from hers and looked behind of them. Uo and Hana were waving at them with serious looks on their faces.

"What's up with them?"

Setsuko headed towards the two, dragging a complaining Kyo behind her.

"HEY! STOP! OW! THAT HURTS! DON'T PULL ME!!!"

"What's up?" Setsuko asked.

Uo had this concerned look about her, "Hatori is holding this conference thingy in their room…he's asking for you"

"_What the fuck does the psycho doctor want now?_"

Kyo looked at Uo in a confused way but she refused to say anything more. So Hana answered instead.

"It's important. You should probably come too, Kyo"

Setsuko was now starting to feel somewhat worried "_They can't possibly…_"

The voice inside her mind spoke up again, "**_They know, Setsuko. What shoes are you wearing?_**"

Setsuko didn't even pay any attention to what the voice said. The last thing she needed to hear right now is a pessimistic voice inside her head that makes her want to kill it.

Hana and Uo led the way to the guys' room where Hatori, Yuki, Shigure and Tohru were sitting around a long table. They all had grievous expressions on their faces.

"What's this about?" Kyo asked, plopping down into a seat.

"Ask Setsuko. She knows" Hatori said in this voice where Setsuko couldn't pinpoint the emotion it was portraying.

Setsuko sat down opposite the doctor and asked in a bored voice, "And what I know is what exactly?"

Hatori lowered his hand to the floor and picked something up. He tossed it on top of the table. It was a razor blade. To be more precise, it was HER razor blade.

"Where did you--?"

Kyo looked at her in disbelief, "You're a cutter?"

Setsuko remembered something…something the voice asked her…"**_What shoes are you wearing?_**"

She looked down at her feet and saw that she was wearing slippers. So?

"_So what if I'm in…oh fuck_"

She had forgotten to hide her sneakers that night. The blade was still under the sole.

Shigure looked at her with pressing eyes, "Hana found it when she and Tohru were cleaning up the room"

"Roof tiles, huh?" Uo said.

"Why did you do that, Setsuko?" Tohru asked quietly.

Suddenly, Setsuko knew what the emotion was in Hatori's voice.

_Disappointment._

xxx

PS: Poor, poor Setsuko I know. But at least there's some good stuff coming up next for her. Actually, Akito knew about her cutting problem since he's the one who initiated it…more on that in the next installment of Sohma Death Angel!

-SaMiE-


	14. Remedy

A/N: I wonder why I keep on updating this fic so much…I must love you all too much. Damn. '_I'm getting emotionally attached…wait! ARE YOU ALL READING THIS???_' Crap. Even my readers can read my thoughts. Double crap.

Well, good for you since I'm sorta updating on a regular basis. Must be because all the stress from a Quarterly Exams has diminished. Poo. Third Quarter just started last Monday (Nov. 13) and there's not much schoolwork popping up, aside from Biology and Algebra that is. We're studying about Animals (that includes slugs, tapeworms and snails)…add Quadratic Equations too the bunch and boom. Tension.

Not a very enticing combo, isn't it?

Compared to the middle of the quarters, that's easy. At least now, we can all enjoy stress-free chappies.

Yayness! Read on!

xxx

Setsuko glared at the table and snapped, "Why do you even care, anyway?"

"Because we care _for you_ Setsuko! You shouldn't be doing—" Tohru started.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do. You're not even part of this family"

Yuki narrowed his eyes at her, "She's is. Now even more than you are"

Setsuko snorted, "Yeah. She lost her parents and you feel sorry for her. I have to admit she does seem pretty pathetic. But her mom and dad dying are of no compare to what I've been through, to what we've all been through"

Hatori shot her a warning look that Uo and Hana were still there.

Uo spoke up, "I know how hard it is to be different, Setsuko. But you shouldn't resort to measures like this"

Setsuko turned her eyes towards the blonde, "And how exactly would you know?"

"I spent the worse half of my teens with the Yankees. Of course I would know"

Setsuko snorted, "Oh please. The Yankees were just a bunch of girls kicking trashcans and beating up weak little kids. You call that bad? Don't make me laugh"

Hana turned to look at Setsuko right in the eye, "…we really shouldn't be here. Let's go Uo"

She stood up and took Uo's hand, "We must leave"

Uo snatched her hand back sharply, "No. We're her friends and we have right to be here"

Hana grabbed her hand again, "No we don't. This is something bigger than just a razor blade and tracks on her skin. It runs much deeper than that. Let's go"

Uo sighed and realized that there was no way that Hana would even let her stay, "Fine"

The two walked out the room silently with Setsuko burning a hole into the table.

"Why the hell did you even do this?" Kyo asked, angrily.

Setsuko looked at him sharply, "Why wouldn't I?"

"What is the problem, Setsuko? What are you hiding from us?" Yuki added.

Setsuko climbed to her feet and said, "Something that you wouldn't want to know"

Then next thing heard was the door slamming…and then silence.

xxx

"**_I told you so_**"

"Oh put a sock in it" Setsuko out loud, taking a drag from her cigarette.

She was sitting on a porch somewhere in the building.

"Talking to someone?"

Setsuko coughed out smoke and looked behind her, "You scared the shit out of me"

Haru threw her cigarette to the floor and stepped on it, "You shouldn't be smoking…"

He grasped her arm and, "…or being doing this. There are other ways to express your pain"

Setsuko snatched her arm back, "Like what you do to Shigure?"

"Precisely"

"Not everyone derives pleasure in others' pain. Certainly not me"

Haru looked out at the sun shining brightly in the sky and back down, "The weather is not agreeing with today's…events"

"It never does…well except when it's raining"

"Why do you do it, Setsuko?" Haru asked.

"Because it's the only thing I can do without hurting anyone else"

"But why do you do it?"

Setsuko shook her head and sighed, "Why must you all talk so fucking cryptically?"

"I know about your curse, Setsuko…" Haru said quietly, "It must be…indescribable"

Setsuko turned towards him, "How do you know?"

"Rin…Akito told her during one of his beating sessions"

"Are you angry? Pissed? Scared?"

"No"

"Why not?"

"Someone has to do it"

Setsuko laughed sourly, "Yeah…that's what I thought too. Better me than anyone else, right?"

"No one should have this kind of burden on their shoulders. No one" Haru replied.

"But yet, if I don't do it…who will?"

"There is no answer to that question…but rather, why must you do this…job?"

Setsuko pulled another cigarette from her pocket, "If I don't, all their souls will remain on an empty endless plane alone. Its worse than dying"

"…Spending an eternity with out the ones you love. Harsh"

Setsuko lit up, "You have no idea how…"

Haru looked at her eyes closely and at her dark circles, "You've been having nightmares"

Setsuko paused for a moment before putting the stick to her lips. She inhaled and let out a cloud of smoke.

"Do you think I had a choice, Haru?" Setsuko asked suddenly.

"Everyone always has one"

"Then why do I feel so helpless?"

Haru considered his words for a moment and decided on the blunt truth, "Because you make yourself hopeless"

He walked away.

"_Why does everybody know what I should be doing except me?_"

An hour passed and Setsuko just sat there…thinking about how fucked up her situation was. When things were getting semi-normal, something within her snapped that made her go back to her old self, the bad one.

"_How can I fix this? I don't think there's a remedy for this kind of addiction_"

"**_There's a remedy for everything_**"

"_There isn't a remedy for my problem because the cause of it is something beyond anyone's capabilities to control_"

"**_The cause isn't even supposed to be problem. You were given this fate for a reason. But instead of going with what was destined for you, you stray from the path. You walk away from what you were meant to do or be_**"

"_I **stray**, as you put it, because I do not know where to go. There is no one to help me"_

"_**See? You want someone to help you but when others get close to you, you do not let them in**_"

"_It's a reflex action_"

"**_No it's not. There's another reason. A real reason that you won't even admit to yourself_**"

Setsuko stood up and turned back inside. Everybody else in the room was smiling and happy, nothing bothering their festive mood. It sickened her that these people can laugh and play when others are dying and suffering out in the world. Yet it made her jealous that even if they experience pain and suffering, they still had it themselves to forget their burdens even for a little while and be…happy.

Setsuko turned her eyes away from the scene and wandered around the large inn slash hot springs until she realized that it was nearly sunset. The sky was turning a bright orange with dark indigo trailing behind it. A lot like what was happening right now. You could be having the time of your life but then…blink…it's all gone…only to be replaced by darkness.

Setsuko climbed up the roof where this all started and looked at the sun dying.

"_The world is so unfair. I keep on saying but it's meaning never changes_"

For the first time since she got here, she looked around the broad expanse of the whole hot springs. Man was it big. Setsuko started walking around the slanted roofs, jumping from one to another whilst imagining what life could've been without this burden. She stopped short.

"_But then I would never have met Yuki, Haru, Hana, Uo…Kyo…_"

Ah, yes, Kyo…practically the cause of her dilemma. True, Setsuko had accepted that Kyo would never really _like _her…there was this nagging feeling in the back of her heart saying that he could. And that led to the realization that Kyo might eventually like her but…what if he finds out. What if he finds out what she is?

"_He'd hate me. Like everyone in the families of the people I killed. He'd hate me_"

That's when she started crawling back into her shell. Back into the darkness and the cold.

…the darkness and cold that Akito had shown her.

_**Flashback**_

_**Cruel and mocking laughter…it rang throughout the empty hall accompanied by the sobs of a girl in the middle of the room.**_

"_**Awww…why are you crying, Setsuko?" Akito mocked, "Did the mother of that lovely boy you killed hurt you?"**_

**_Setsuko just kept on crying…she killed someone…she actually killed someone…_**

"_**You see what you do to other people…you see how much you kill them and yet they're still alive?"**_

"_**I didn't…I never…"**_

"_**But you did. You brought that poor boy into the other side when his mother desperately trying to wake him up"**_

"_**He wanted to go…he said…"**_

"_**No Setsuko. Look at his mother. Is that what she wanted? Her son dead? Is that what she wanted?"**_

_**Setsuko shook her head and let more tears fall.**_

"**_You are a despicable thing. You take the most important things from everyone around you. You taint their lives with your darkness. You destroy lives"_**

_**Clang. Slam.**_

_**Setsuko looked at the object on the floor. It was a thin strip of metal. She looked at it and swiped her thumb lightly over the edge.**_

"_**Ow…" Setsuko muttered, putting the cut finger in her mouth.**_

_**Her eyes held a look on insanity…a pleading for the pain to stop.**_

_**Blade on flesh…blood from wounds…pain…release.**_

…_**Found by a nine-year-old girl in an empty room.**_

_**End of Flashback**_

Setsuko was so lost in her thoughts that she momentarily forgot that she was on a roof and put her foot on the wrong place.

"_Shit…_"

She was about to fall when she was grabbed from behind. The edge _had_ been coming a bit too close for her liking.

"Be more careful would you?"

Setsuko pulled away from the person and crossed her arms, "What do you want?"

Kyo rolled his eyes and sat down, "If I weren't you would've probably fallen off the edge"

"Whatever"

Setsuko began walking away.

"Why do you keep on running away?"

She stopped, her foot hovering on her next step.

She pulled it back.

"I'm not"

"Yeah, you are. Every time anyone wants to get near you, you run away…what are you so afraid of?"

"_You rejecting me_" "I repeat to you what I said to Yuki, you wouldn't want to know"

"Why are you like this?" Kyo demanded, "Let us help you"

"I don't need any help," Setsuko snapped.

"You do! You're killing yourself!"

"_How did he know that--?"_

"If you're not blind then you will see that I am perfectly alive and well, thank you"

"At first I thought the smoking was bad but…cutting? You could slip and then…" Kyo stopped.

"What?" Setsuko mocked, "I'd _die_? I'm not afraid of that anymore. Come to think of it, death seems like a pretty could option right now"

Kyo stood up angrily, "If you think that you won't get hurt when you die, why don't you think of everyone around you who will get affected? You're so _selfish_"

"_How come he keeps saying things that are…?_" Setsuko couldn't continue that thought.

"…**_True?_**" but the voice decided to finish it anyway.

"_This is what I was also afraid of…they're starting to **care**"_

"_**They're supposed to**"_

"You know…I shouldn't have even bothered" Kyo muttered, "Damn psychic and damn doctor"

"Hatori and Hana put you up to this?" Setsuko asked.

"And the cow. They said something about me that only one being able to help" Kyo muttered, preparing to jump down.

"I never wanted to be this way," Setsuko said quietly, sitting down and staring up at the starry sky.

Kyo sat down beside her, "When has anything happened exactly the way we want we them to be?"

"This is different. I just can't bring myself to change"

Setsuko heard Kyo sigh.

"We're not asking you to change, Setsuko. We're asking you to let us help you deal with whatever you're dealing with"

"You can't help"

"How can you be so sure? No matter how big your part is in this curse, you have to realize that everyone else has their's too. You don't have to carry it alone…everyone else is willing to help"

"Except Akito"

"He's different. He's our core…I guess, I sort of understand him too…just a little"

Setsuko made a mocking face of shock, "The world is coming to an end. Kyo just understood the person he hates most"

"Shut up" Kyo said quietly, turning red.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. I told you, Akito may appear to be a monster but he's just like all of us. He's human…no matter how much he believes that he is God, he is still human"

"Cutting isn't just your problem. You should stop this too" Kyo held up her pack of Lights.

She made a motion to grab it from him "Where'd you get that?"

He pulled it away, "Haru"

"_Damn that cow…_"

"We'll get through this, Setsuko" Kyo assured her.

No reply.

"Cause I'll be here…helping you along the way even if no one else will"

A smile.

The sun was starting to rise. Another day. Setsuko let out a breath.

"_No matter how long the night lasts…may it take years or more…morning will always come… I guess that's something to look forward to_"

xxx

PS: Does this count for fluff? Maybe a little…actually I got around to completing this chap in a few hours since I was so hooked on listening to animè songs (Hunter X Hunter's Ohayou and Kaze no Ita plus Rurouni Kenshi's Heart of Sword and Gundam Seed Destiny's Bokutachi no Yukue) damn…that's Japanese overload…(I can't even understand what the hell they're saying)

Kyo is such a sweetheart in this chapter…is that bad?

Tell me if some of the characters get OOC 'cause I hate it when I make them like that.

Ta!

-SaMiE-


	15. Math Tutor

A/N: I'm sorry for the VERY late update! I know most of my excuses suck but hey, they're true. I had this semi-writers block where you get ideas but they come in very, very slowly meaning that when you type, you only come up with a few sentences. Then, thirty minutes later, you come up with another sentence. It goes on and on and on…

BESIDES, I just got my first flamer. Its actually for my other story, POV, but she said that she didn't even bother to flame Sohma Death Angel because it sucks so much. And the flame by ice-angel52 doesn't count because she apologized to me about it. Oh poo…

So I give thee this chapter to please (as well as disturb) thy mind.

Onwards!!!

xxx

"Do you think leaving Setsuko alone with Kyo is a good idea?" Yuki asked.

The four remaining teens were still inside the room sitting on the floor or on cushions.

Uo snickered, "Oh please, those two are in so much denial"

"In denial?" Tohru asked.

Uo grinned, "What I mean is that Kyo and Setsuko like each other but they're too stubborn to admit it"

"Say that again and I'll beat you up worse than what the Yankees did"

Everyone sweatdropped.

"Hey Setsuko!" Uo greeted, throwing an arm over Setsuko's shoulders.

"And if you try and pull anything like that again, _I'll _beat you up worse than what the Yankees did to me" Uo added as an afterthought.

Shigure opened the sliding door into the room and said happily, "Now that all this drama is over, I have a question for Kyo"

"What?" Kyo snapped.

He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "What exactly did you and Setsuko do up there on the roof?"

"Oh no he didn't" Uo said.

Setsuko walked up to Shigure and punched him so hard that he ended up knocked out on the other side of the room. And it was a very, VERY big room.

"Anyone got anything else to say?"

"We're good" Kyo said quickly.

Tohru smiled warmly and asked, "Has anyone seen Hatori?"

Yuki shrugged, "I think he's with Haru"

"He is" Hana said eerily.

"Stop it with all this psychic business!" Kyo exclaimed, "It's too freakin' creepy"

"I think that's sort of the point," Uo said, laughing.

"You'll get used to it, Kyo" Tohru assured, "I did"

"Pity. You keep on saying how much of a man you are but you can't even deal with Hana" Yuki said in a bored voice.

"Shut up you damn rat!" Kyo shouted, "At least I don't look like a girl!"

"Enough!" Setsuko said loudly, "You two may take this outside or I will personally take out your insides with a spoon"

Kyo grumbled loudly and plunked down on the floor.

"That's better"

Haru came inside and turned to Setsuko, "Hatori wants to see you in the other room"

"_What does he want now?_"

Setsuko stalked out and entered the room down the hall. She opened the door silently and found Hatori standing by the window, looking out at the puddles of muddy water on the ground.

"Is that your only blade?" he asked, looking at her straight in the eye.

Setsuko rolled her eyes and pulled out another one from the sole of her shoe, "That's it"

"Where's you pack?"

Setsuko's eyebrow rose up, "What pack?"

Hatori put his hands in his pockets and pulled out the pack that Kyo had shown her earlier, "You're cigarettes, Setsuko"

Setsuko grumbled out loud and tossed her pack of Lights on the table.

"I thought I told you that smoking is strictly prohibited"

"But you do it" Setsuko said defiantly.

Hatori sighed, "Just because I do it doesn't mean that you could. You're still underage"

"That's a load of bull—"

"Setsuko? Hatori?" Tohru's voice sang like a clear melody through the room.

"_Saved,_" Setsuko thought.

"Yes, Tohru?" Hatori asked.

"Lunch is ready"

"We'll be right out"

"_Nope, still in big trouble_"

"Let me see your arm"

"_Must resist the tone…oh crap_"

Setsuko walked up to him and gave out her left arm. Hatori pulled up the sleeve of her sweater and raised both his eyebrows. There were scars everywhere plus some burn marks from the cigarette butts.

"I should send you to a rehabilitation center but then again, the _why _is the problem"

"Don't worry, Hatori. I'll stop. And this time it's for good"

The unasked question hung in the air.

Setsuko sighed and headed for the door, "I sure as hell don't wanna be the person Tohru gets a heart attack over"

Hatori smiled slightly.

"Are you coming or not?"

They walked out quietly leaving only quiet footsteps behind them as they headed towards one of the dining rooms.

"You guys better eat up quickly before all the food is gone" Yuki said dryly, eyeing Kyo's fast paced eating.

Uo looked at Kyo in distaste and added, "Yeah. We have a human food dispenser here, remember?"

Tohru popped some rice in her mouth, looked at Kyo and shouted, "WAIT KYO! THOSE ARE—"

Plunk.

"—Leeks"

Haru poked the passed-out Kyo on the floor and said, "He's still alive"

"Too bad" Hana said.

"Remind me again why he hates leeks?" Setsuko asked, helping herself to a piece of sushi.

Everyone looked at each other and shrugged.

In the middle of their surprisingly peaceful dinner, Hatori's phone rang.

"Hello?"

Only mumbles could be heard from the other line.

"Yes. I'll tell them. Thank you"

Click.

"Who was that?" Haru asked.

"Lara"

"…And?" Yuki pressed.

Hatori put his phone back inside his pocket and replied, "She's asking if you can come back earlier because someone named Fuji keeps on calling and asking for Setsuko"

"Who's Fuji?" Uo asked.

Hana looked up and replied, "He's in the Chess Club"

Yuki thought for a moment and said, "Oh yes…I remember him. He's also on the Student Council. He's very nice"

Haru's eyes flared up then went back to their normal empty look.

"Do you see him often?" he asked.

Yuki shook his head, "Only during our meetings"

"Good"

Yuki sweatdropped.

Kyo started to come around and rubbed his head, "Wha--?"

"What's his last name?" Tohru asked sweetly.

Yuki shrugged, "I don't really know"

Kyo rubbed his sore head, "Last name of whom?"

"I see your awake" Yuki commented.

Uo smirked, "Apparently, there's someone persistently looking for Setsuko back at your house"

"…And?"

"His name is Fuji and he's in the Chess Club" Uo finished.

"Oh…" Kyo muttered, going back to stuffing his face.

"Gross" Uo said.

Shigure once again waggled his eyebrows suggestively and asked, "Is this Fuji-guy a suitor of yours, Setsuko? A boyfriend perhaps?"

Kyo promptly choked on his food, "Her? Get a boyfriend? Scary thought"

Hana put down her chopsticks, "I sense waves of jealousy coming from you"

"WHAT?" Kyo shouted.

"Kyon-chan's jealous! Kyon-chan's jealous!" Shigure sang.

Haru swallowed the food he was eating and looked at Setsuko, "So, who is he really?"

"A friend"

"You could be more elaborate"

"He needs a tutor for Math"

Tohru smiled, "It's very nice of you to have time to give him some help. It's very admirable"

Kyo looked up silently before going back to his food, "_That's what she said to me. Hmph…_"

Hatori raised an eyebrow, "I'm guessing this isn't out of the goodness of your heart"

Setsuko sighed and replied, "He wouldn't quit bugging me for a week until I agreed"

"I knew that was too good to be true," Uo said, laughing.

Hana pulled out one of Shigure's pocket books and added, "Be careful around him, Setsuko. Something is…off with his waves. The way he looks at you…its unnerving"

Haru put both his elbows on the table, "Maybe he's a pervert"

"Like Shigure?" Kyo said sarcastically.

Uo rubbed Kyo's head and snorted, "You should be there when Setsuko tutors him. Who knows what he might pull?"

Hatori too placed his chopsticks down and said, "Yes, Kyo. That would be a good idea"

Shigure sniggered behind his hand, "Or else he might beat you to the prize"

Kyo turned red slightly and replied, "I have no idea what the hell you're talking about"

Tohru looked at her watch, "Um…it's almost two o'clock…if we pack now we can get home early tomorrow"

Yuki nodded and finished the last of his rice, "Ms. Honda is right. The sooner we get home the better"

Shigure pouted, "Awww! And I wanted to stay here longer! There are so many pretty young girls here!"

Hatori's eyebrow twitched, "Sometimes I wonder why you're my bestfriend"

"Because you love me," Shigure said smugly.

Kyo pointed an accusing finger at him, "You just don't want to go back home and face Lara"

Shigure went silent for a minute, "…that too. She's scary"

Hana looked at him eerily, "Lots of things scare you"

Shigure withered in his place, "…"

Uo shook her blonde head in laughter, "Hana, I think you scared him even more"

"Who says that wasn't my intention?"

Sweat drops appeared on every head.

xxx

The next morning…

Setsuko threw all her remaining stuff back into her suitcase with an annoyed expression on her face.

"_Just when everything was working out fine, that stupid Fuji just had to come bug me_"

She ducked under the bed and grabbed the other half of the sock she had thrown inside her case.

"_Damn Fuji…remind me to torture him with tests and crazy punishments when he comes over_"

"Plotting Fuji-san's demise?" Hana asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Setsuko smirked, "Actually, yes I was"

"Don't forget my warning…it's very important"

Setsuko shut her suitcase and looked at Hana straight in the eye, "Why? What _waves _are you exactly sensing from him?"

Hana sighed, "I don't know. They seem wrong…off in some way"

Setsuko smiled slightly, "Then I'll be careful. There's really no need to make up a fuss"

"Something tells me that a fuss _will _happen if he's around"

Uo poked her grinning head into the room and announced "Hurry up. We're leaving…oh, and nice jeans, Setsuko"

Setsuko glanced down at her pants. They were obviously black with red dragons running up the sides.

"They remind of the book, 'Red Dragon' by Thomas Harris" Hana added.

Uo ran a hand through her blonde hair and said exasperatedly, "After that whole 'Black Angel' incident, I do not even want to know what the hell that book is about"

Setsuko snorted.

Kyo walked inside with an annoyed expression on his face and asked, "Are we leaving anytime soon? It's almost eleven"

"Yeah, yeah. Hold your breath, Carrot-top" Uo grumbled, "Let's go?"

"I'm good" Setsuko said, picking up her suitcase.

Hana shot Kyo a look, "You should carry her case, Kyo. It's rude to let a lady carry such heavy load"

Kyo's eye twitched and a sweatdrop appeared on his forehead, "…Okay…"

Setsuko snorted and tossed the big black case into Kyo's arms, "Take care of that"

"Whatever" Kyo mumbled, barely catching it.

"Off we go!" Uo said loudly.

"Must you always be so loud?" Kyo snapped.

"Who shoved something up your ass?" Uo taunted, "I can tell someone's jealous"

"Jealous of what???"

"Setsuko and Fuji" Hana answered simply.

"To hell with that!" Kyo shouted before stomping out of the room.

"I get the feeling he's going to be stomping out on you guys a lot," Setsuko said, "I feel like joining him"

Uo met eyes with Hana and grinned, "You can't stomp out of a car"

Setsuko's eyebrow raised, "Shit"

"Don't worry, though. I won't tease you"

"What's the catch?" Setsuko asked suspiciously.

Uo grinned, "Every time he makes a jealous look, take a picture of it"

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "Whatever…but I like the way you think"

Hana opened the door and motioned for them to get out first, "Everyone evil does"

"Come on…it _is _getting late"

The three psychotic girls made their way out of the inn. One with nothing on her mind, one with jumbled stuff in her mind and the last one with this on her mind…

"_I was right…bad things did happen at this place…_"

xxx

"Welcome home" Lara greeted happily.

Her eyes rested on Shigure then twinkled madly. Shigure shrunk back in fear.

"Ha'ri?" he mumbled quietly.

The screeching of the tires of two cars on the ground sent Shigure running to the road screaming, "NOOOOOO!!!"

You could hear Uo and Hana's sadistic laughter coming from the distance.

"Tough luck" Setsuko said, smirking.

"WAAAAAAH!!!"

Tohru patted him lightly on the back, "It's okay, Shigure. Let's go in"

Shigure nodded and stepped forward. The moment he entered the foyer, a large bucket of black unknown gunk fell on him.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Kyo and Yuki laughed in unison.

Setsuko inclined her head towards Lara, "I've taught you well"

Shigure remained motionless on the ground, covered in the sticky substance.

"Lets just leave him here" Haru added, kicking Shigure's body out of the way.

Setsuko looked at the clock and asked, "What time is that damned-to-hell Fuji coming?"

Lara smiled, "He told me that he'll be here by three. You have about…an hour"

"Damnit. Why'd he have to bother _me _of all people?"

"Maybe he likes you" Lara said simply.

Setsuko made a face, "I think I'm going to be sick"

Haru finished pushing Shigure's body into a closet and turned to Kyo, "Kyo, go take all the suitcase inside"

Kyo crossed his arms defiantly, "I'm not a pack mule. Go do it yourself!"

Haru raised an eyebrow, "Do you want to end up like Shigure?"

Kyo put his hands on his waist and exclaimed, "HAH! As if you could do something!"

Haru didn't even get a chance to retort since Setsuko's cool voice broke their argument.

"Do it, Kyo, before I make you"

Yuki sweatdropped, "Now that's scary"

Tohru smiled uneasily and ushered everybody inside, "Let's not fight, guys. I'll go make some tea"

Shigure, who had promptly resurrected himself after hearing Tohru's voice and the word 'tea', sprang up, "Don't forget the rice buns!"

Lara grinned maliciously, "I'll help you"

Shigure turned pale, "Erm…don't bother, Tohru. I'll be going up to my study now…"

He then clambered up the stairs slowly as if expecting a step to fall or something. He reached the top and was about to let out a big sigh when…BLAM! A large brick fell out of nowhere and hit him on the head.

"Ouch" Haru commented.

"That's got to hurt" Yuki said.

"WON'T ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME???" Kyo shouted from outside.

Yuki kicked the door shut with a smile.

"Tea's almost ready" Tohru announced from the kitchen.

"_Her voice almost sounds angelic…_" Yuki thought absently before blushing.

"Is anything wrong, Yuki my dear?" Haru asked, gripping one of Yuki's hands.

Yuki snatched his hand away and turned green, "Gross, Haru"

"Get a room will you?" Setsuko said, making a gagging noise, "By the way, where's Kyo?"

As if on cue, Kyo kicked the door open, "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, RAT BOY?"

"I didn't do anything," Yuki said innocently.

"WHY YOU LITTLE—"

Setsuko rolled her eyes and grabbed her suitcase from Kyo, "You are so juvenile"

"But—" Kyo started.

Setsuko wasn't even listening, "_All they do is fight…one day they'll regret it when Tohru gets a panic attack or something…_"

She opened the door to her room and dumped her stuff by the dresser. She pulled open the curtains and flinched at the glare of the sun.

"_I should consider making Fuji stare up into the sun if he answers a question wrongly…_"

Setsuko could hear the voice in her head laughing maniacally.

Then fate just HAD to interrupt her wishful demise-plotting thinking once more…because…

_Ding Dong. Ding Dong._

"_This is going to be fun…_"

Setsuko grinned evilly.

"_Yes…very fun indeed…_"

But then again, who really is going to have more fun? Setsuko…or Fuji?

xxx

PS: Feel sorry for Shigure? Kyo? Fuji, perhaps? More on him in the next chapter…I like making Kyo jealous…its fun to see him suffer (insert maniacal laughter here).

So guys, do you think this story "sucks" just like 'A Little Flamer'? If so, send me an e-mail or a PM. You better have a hell of a good reason for it or else you'd have a horde of readers coming at your backs.

Tata!

Oh yeah, Happy New Year!

-SaMiE-


	16. Erased Memories

A/N: I've updated! Yayness! I got so caught up in schoolwork that I spaced on updating…erm…sorry? Hehe…(laughs nervously). Ok fine, I got lazy. Meep. Not my fault. Blame my mind's subconscious level for divulging into school rather than I mean, we had to summarize about—14 chapters in Bio for the third quarter…damn Bio book. (burns book into ashes)

Other than that, I just lost track of everything else.

Oh yeah! I just turned 14 last Wednesday (Feb.7)! Woohoo! Another year gone from my life…inevitably bringing me closer to my death. Heh. Anyway, two more years until I drive, four more years before I can drink and be legal! Life's too fast.

Enough rambling. Um…I also forgot to mention that this story is set about two years after the animè. Sorry 'bout that.

This chapter mainly focuses on another one of my OC's. I don't really know whether he would be playing a bigger role in this story but I'm planning to make his existence about two chapters long, and that's including this one. Okay, after all that has been said, on with the story!

"**_Chapter 16: Erased Memories_**"

xxx

Fuji Hatsuyachi stood on the doorstep of a Sohma house whose current inhabitants were none other than Yuki, Kyo, Hatsuharu and of course, Setsuko Sohma. And don't forget Tohru Honda.

Fuji was also part of class 4-A, the same as all the Sohmas. The seventeen-year-old brunette was one of the most sought after guys after Prince Yuki even if he just transferred here about two months ago. He's actually pretty good in Math but he failed that specific class because he knew Setsuko passed it with flying colors. Let's just say he has a bit of Shigure's mentality embedded in his subconscious, and it's not the perverted part. It's something else.

His icy blue eyes scanned the gigantic abode and sighed, "_I hope she doesn't hate me when she finds out…oh well, it's a bit late for that, right Fuji?_"

He stepped up and pressed the doorbell twice.

_Ding Dong. Ding Do—_

The door opened.

"Oh hello" Lara greeted, "You must be…?"

Fuji bowed and said, "Fuji Hatsuyachi"

Lara smiled and bowed back, "Well Hatsuyachi-san, do come in"

"Thank you" he stepped inside and added, "And you can just call me Fuji, Miss--?"

"Lara. Setsuko is waiting for you in the library"

Lara almost laughed at his blank look "You go up the stairs and turn left. You should be able to see the door opening to the library"

"Thanks again"

With one last bow, he sprinted up the stairs. He turned left and stopped in front of the double doors. He checked his breath and ran a hand through his hair uneasily.

"Okay, just knock once and say hi. No…don't knock at all and just nod you head…maybe---"

"I can see you, you know. The door's open"

Fuji sweatdropped and bowed, "Err…I apologize"

"This is the third time you've bowed in ten minutes. What's up with that?"

She motioned for him to take a seat beside her.

"How did you--?"

"There are lots of hidden rooms in this house"

Fuji's eyebrows went up, "Um…that's…cool?"

Setsuko snorted, "I was joking"

Fuji retorted, "Yeah. I knew that"

"Uh-huh" Setsuko said, "You need help in Math right?"

"I suck at Algebra"

Setsuko took his notebook and began flipping through the Seatwork and Exercises their professor gave to them. There were zeros and twos everywhere.

"I can tell" "_Damn…this guy doesn't suck at Algebra. He doesn't know a single thing about it!_"

"Hatsuyachi, look over here"

Her finger was pointed at a particular problem he had failed to answer correctly inside his notebook.

"What about it?"

"What's 7+2?"

"Um…9"

An eyebrow raised, "Then why'd you put 10?"

"What???" He grabbed the notebook and looked closely at his answer, "What the---damnit"

"Fuck's a better term but Damnit works" Setsuko said, "Your formulas are correct but something goes wrong when you go back to the basic stuff like adding or multiplying"

"I have problems in Math because I don't know how to add?" Fuji asked disbelievingly.

"You have problems in Math because you don't know how to count" Setsuko simplified, "I'll give you a couple of exercises. If you get them wrong because of wrong addition or something basic, I'll introduce you to someone you'd wish you had never met"

"Easy enough" "_I hope…I wonder who this guy is?_"

_Thirty Minutes later…_

"All done!" Fuji declared, resting back on his chair, "That was a piece of cake"

Setsuko scanned over his paper and declared, "You missed the last one"

"No I didn't" Fuji snapped, grabbing the paper back and counting the number of items, "You gave five, I answered five. See?"

"Flip it over"

Fuji turned the paper over and saw one more, "That's cheating!"

"I told you; you can't count"

"And besides, you got the second number wrong. I guess it's so hard for your brain to comprehend that 8x1 is 8, not 9" she added.

"_I know that. I may appear retarded but I'm not. Besides, I was curious about this person I'm supposed to meet"_

Fuji dropped the test back on the desk and crossed his arms, "Whatever. Who is it that you're going to introduce to me?"

"Wait here" Setsuko poked her head outside the door and shouted, "HEY SHIGURE! HATSUYACHI WANTS TO BE YOUR FRIEND!"

"_What the hell?" _Fuji thought, bewildered, "_Shit! It's Shigure! Maybe he won't notice who I am!_"

A quick scamper of feet and a door breaking down was heard.

"I don't think I want to meet this person," Fuji muttered.

"Oh you'll like him. He's very…_nice_" Setsuko stressed out the last word.

"_Oh no he's not…I've met him once and I don't want to meet him again_"

"Where's your friend?" a voice said, it sound hyper and way-too happy to be normal.

Setsuko opened the door and briefly closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.

CRASH!

"Hi! Hi! I'm Shigure and I'm thirty-four! How old are you?"

Both boys were on the ground, the chair crushed beneath them.

"SETSUKO! Help me!" "_GODDAMNIT! HE'S HYPER!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"_

"Not part of the deal" Setsuko replied, walking out of the room and shutting the door.

"SETSUKO!!!"

Setsuko smirked and rested her back against the door, "_This is fun…you pissed me off, Fuji. Consider this your punishment…and its not over yet_"

xxx

Shigure grinned madly when he heard Setsuko call him and said that someone wanted to be his friend. It's not a pretty sight when Shigure's hyper, apparently Lara 'accidentally' dumped a whole canister of sugar in is coffee and 'forgot' to replace it, so here's the result, him glomping an unfortunate boy to the floor. Sadly, this sugar-high only lasts about ten minutes and his time was up.

"Get off!" a muffled voice said from beneath him.

Shigure quickly scramble to his feet and apologized, "Sorry about that. I think had too much sugar in my coffee"

The other boy coughed and muttered, "That's okay. I'll…um…be going now"

He made a dash to the door but Shigure, seeing as he _is _the dog, was too fast for him.

"Hold it" Shigure looked at the brunette closely and peered under his bangs, "Fuji-kun?"

"_Shit, shit, shit_" Fuji bowed, "Erm…hi, Shigure-sama"

Shigure crossed his arms and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "What are you doing here? Did Akito send you?"

Fuji ran a hand through his hair and smiled sheepishly, "He wanted me to check up on Setsuko since he can't come. I transferred here over two months ago"

"…Akito's sick again" Shigure confirmed, "Why you, of all people?"

Fuji's eyes went slightly dark, "She's doesn't know who I am. None of them do…not that much anyway"

That surprised Shigure.

"They forgot. They don't remember"

Then everything clicked into place.

"Ah. I should have a talk with Hatori about that"

Fuji snorted then headed over to the door, "Hatori-sama can't bring back memories he's already erased"

"That's true"

The door closed.

Fuji shook his head and when he looked back up, an unknown sparkle was in his eyes, "_Now…where to find Setsuko…_"

He found her inside a completely black room using her laptop.

She looked up when she heard him come in, "Are you done getting…_acquainted _with Shigure?"

A vein popped on Fuji's forehead, "I've only met him this time and I already think he is absolutely INSANE" "_I lie very well, don't I?_"

"Awww" Setsuko smirked, "I just thought you would like each other very much. Being pests and all"

"It's not my fault I can't count"

He sat down beside her and peered at the website she was viewing. What the hell is that?"

Setsuko clicked on a link entitled 'Head' and waited for the page to load. It was a picture of a head literally torn from the body.

"Gross" Fuji said, turning green, "I think I'm going to be sick"

"Then get out of my room. I don't want your vomit to stain my carpet"

Fuji proceeded to walk out when Setsuko called him back and handed him another sheet of paper.

"Answer this. I'll check on you after half an hour and work out your problems"

"You make that sound like I'm crazy and you're my shrink"

Setsuko looked at him with raised eyebrows, "If you think that way you should consider seeing a psychiatrist"

"Touchè"

"Now answer those before I give you a worse punishment"

"Yes, ma'am"

xxx

"Wow" Setsuko said dryly, "You managed to get everything right…except…"

"_I GOT EVERYTHING CORRECT THIS TIME!!!"_ Fuji screamed loudly in his mind.

Setsuko narrowed her eyes, "This number…but you're mistake is a real one…"

"_Shit_"

"I guess you're improving"

Fuji tch-ed and said, "So? That's good, right? Why are you frowning?"

Setsuko looked at him with an eerie stare, "I haven't taught you anything yet"

"_Uh-oh_" "Must be my inner tensai showing through"

"Tensai, my ass" Setsuko commented, "The only thing you're ever going to be a 'tensai' in is idiocy"

Fuji stuck out his tongue, "Says you"

Setsuko grasped her temple silently as a flashback entered her mind from God-knows-where.

_**Flashback**_

_**Thirteen-year-old Setsuko crossed her arms and glared at the brunette boy in front of her.**_

"_**I win!" He said smugly, placing his last black piece on the board.**_

"_**Whatever" Setsuko muttered, "It's just a stupid Go game"**_

_**Fuji stood up and started doing a victory dance, "I'm a tensai! I'm a tensai!"**_

"_**Tensai, my ass. The only thing you're ever going to be tensai in is idiocy"**_

_**Fuji stuck his tongue out, "Says you"**_

_**End Flashback**_

"Setsuko?" Fuji voice brought her back to reality, "You okay?"

Setsuko's eyes focused again as she stared at his face, "Have we met before?"

Fuji's eyes widened for a fraction on second, "No. Why do you ask that?" "_Damnit! She's not supposed to remember me!_"

Setsuko shook her head and rubbed her eyes tiredly, "Forget it…um…go to page 436 on the book on top of the table in the study and do problems one to five. If you really are a tensai, you'll be able to get all of them right"

Fuji nodded as he walked out of the room, "_She's doesn't know who I am…that's good…_"

But a little part of him knew exactly how much he was lying to himself.

xxx

Kyo peered inside Setsuko's room and saw her clutch her head suddenly. He was about to barge in when he noted that Fuji was already walking towards the said door. He quickly sprinted to his room and shut the door with click.

Fuji's head darted around as he scratched his head and shrugged.

"Whew" Kyo muttered, peeking out into the hall.

Fuji had gone back inside the study.

"I've seen him before…" Kyo said absently, "I just can't put my finger on when…"

Kyo walked out of his room deeply immersed in a conversation with himself when he bumped into Yuki.

"Watch where you're going, cat" Yuki snapped.

"I should be saying that to you, damn rat" Kyo retorted.

Yuki rolled his eyes, "You have no manners at all, do you?"

"Tch" Kyo muttered then asked, "Hey, do you know who that guy is? The one Setsuko's tutoring?"

"Ah…Fuji? He's a member of the Student Council"

"Not that" Kyo said, "I mean, does he seem familiar to you?"

Yuki thought for a moment, "I do get a feeling of déjà vu when I look at him…but no. Why? Do you know him?"

Kyo shrugged, "I don't even know. It seems like I've seen him somewhere before but…I can't remember it very clearly"

Yuki brushed him off, "Well don't go pondering on it too much, cat. You're brain might shut down from lack then sudden use"

A vein bulged on Kyo's forehead.

"Whatever, stupid rat!" he shouted at Yuki's retreating form.

"Fighting with the Prince again, Kyon-chan?"

Kyo jumped up in fright and came face to face with none other than the evil-incarnate himself, Shigure.

"Don't do that!" Kyo snapped, "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Shigure grinned, "Nope. Besides, Setsuko already introduced me to her friend. He's a bit boring"

There was an odd gleam in the dog's eyes as he said that. Kyo caught on easily to his lie.

"Shigure, do you know who that Fuji-dude is?" Kyo asked suspiciously.

Shigure feigned innocence, "I don't think so, Kyon-Kyon. After all, I did just meet him today"

"Why am I inclined not to believe you?" Kyo said sarcastically.

"I have no idea with you…" Shigure said airily, marching off to a random room, "Have a nice day…"

Kyo grumbled, "What is up with that psycho today?"

He marched downstairs and grabbed a carton of milk from the kitchen. Lara saw him raising it to his lips and glared at him.

"What are you doing, Kyo?" she asked threateningly.

Kyo gulped and quickly grabbed a glass, "Um…putting milk in this glass so I can drink it?"

Tohru was in the kitchen as well and smiled, "That's good, Kyo. You used to drink from the carton all the time before"

Kyo nodded his head dumbly and drank from his glass. Somebody entered the kitchen.

Tohru looked up and greeted, "Oh, hello Fuji-san!"

"Hello Tohru" a deep calm voice answered.

Kyo took one look at him and felt a memory place itself in front of his eyes.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Ow…" Kyo muttered quietly, forcing the tears behind his eyes.**_

_**He was attempting to win a race from Yuki but he tripped over a rock and scrapped his knee.**_

"_**I won, Kyo!" Yuki called from about twenty feet away.**_

"_**Yeah, yeah" Kyo shouted back, still not getting up.**_

_**There was a little blood from the scrape.**_

"_**Are you okay?" a voice asked from behind him.**_

_**Kyo turned his head, "Who are you?"**_

"_**I'm Fuji" the boy eyed his cut and made a face, "That looks nasty"**_

"_**It hurts"**_

_**Fuji took a band-aid from his pocket and gave to Kyo, "Here. My mommy always gives me some when I go out to play"**_

_**Kyo looked at the strange boy oddly but took the band-aid anyway.**_

"_**Thanks" he murmured.**_

"_**Your welcome!" Fuji replied happily.**_

"_**What's your name?" Kyo asked, getting up.**_

_**The kid's blue eyes sparkled, "I'm Fuji"**_

_**End Flashback**_

"Fuji?" Kyo asked him suddenly, "Fuji Sohma?"

xxx

PS: So, do you like him? Tell me what you think. Contrary to popular belief, we authors do like to get any kind of review, comment or criticism. Even if it'll just say something like '_Oh my God! Update! I love your story!_' and shit like that, we do want to receive them.

That's just the way things are.

BTW, I decided to update now because the school will be giving out our report cards on Monday and I fear that my computer privileges will be rebuked if my grades go down. Poo.

By for now!

-SaMiE-


	17. Fuji Hatsuyachi

A/N: A miracle! I updated before our Long Tests and Quarterly Exams! Sadly, I must inform you all that this will be the last update for the next two weeks. I probably will not update until the summer since its Clearance Week this Monday and all that shit. I can't believe another year is over! Waaah! I'm going to be a third year already! No! I don't wanna grow old!!!

Damn. I _am _old. Shit, shit, shit…

Well, enjoy this chapter for the time being and pray that I pass my Finals! (Because these are the Final tests for the whole year!):

Chapter 17: Fuji Hatsuyachi 

xxx

Fuji looked startled, "Erm…excuse me?"

"Fuji" Kyo repeated, "You're Fuji Sohma"

Fuji shook his head, "No I'm not. My name is Fuji Hatsuyachi"

Kyo displayed at look of doubt, "You look…exactly like him. You have to be him"

Fuji smiled, "You must be mistaken, Kyo-kun. Lots of people in this world look alike"

His smile hid something totally obscured to the others in the room: _fear_.

Kyo sighed and placed his glass gently on the counter, "Maybe…sumimasen" _A/N: Excuse me/Sorry_

Fuji inclined his head towards the cat, "That's alright. It's happens"

Kyo nodded weakly and looked away, "_He's definitely that Fuji guy…maybe I just got the last name wrong…but that's him. I know it is_"

"Uh…I'll just go look for Yuki…" Kyo said, "I'm…going to ask him something"

Kyo quickly sped out of the kitchen.

"That was odd" Fuji commented.

Lara raised an eyebrow, "Did he just say he's going to look for _Yuki_ to _talk _to him?"

Tohru smiled, "It seems that this move is doing their friendship good"

"I guess so"

Lara had the tiniest bit of doubt in her voice. Thank God Tohru doesn't easily catch on to that.

"_There is something up with that cat…_"

Haru stepped into the kitchen, "Oh. Hello Fuji-san"

Fuji turned around and smiled at the black and white haired boy, "Hello Haru-kun. How's school?"

"It's fine" Haru replied.

Tohru's smile got even bigger, "You two know each other? That's great! The world really is a small place!"

"We're in the same school," Haru added.

"Oh"

"…"

"That's good too!" Tohru said finally, "Oh dear! I forgot I was doing the laundry! I'll be right back"

"Tohru! Watch out for the---"

BLAM! CRASH! Tinkle. Tinkle.

"---laundry hamper" Lara finished, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Tohru's muffled voice answered.

Lara went over to help while muttering "Such a klutz" under her breath.

Fuji shifted around during the awkward silence and said, "Erm…I'll be going now"

"Kyo's right" Haru looked him over, "You do look familiar"

"That just your mind playing tricks on you!" Fuji shouted, retreating into the hallway.

"_This is not good_. _Not good at all_"

xxx

Kyo found Yuki in the now-empty library reading a book.

"Yuki?"

Yuki looked up from his book, "What do you want?"

Kyo scratched his head absent mindedly, "…I wanted to ask if you've remembered who Fuji is"

Yuki placed the hardbound novel on the couch, "Why are you so interested in him?"

"He reminds me of someone"

"Who?"

"…Fuji-chan. He lived in the Sohma Compound when we were little"

Yuki sighed, "Kyo, that Fuji we knew is dead. He has been for the past ten years"

"But…he looks _so much _like---"

"Maybe you're just mistaken, Kyo" Yuki replied tiredly.

"I'm not!" Kyo snapped, "I _know _it's him! There's no mistake about it"

"When you think about it," Haru said from behind them, "No one really told us why he died"

Kyo sped to the other side of the room breathing heavily, "Don't do that, Haru"

Yuki looked at the black and white haired teen, "They never did, did they?"

"We were seven" Haru said, "We wouldn't have understood"

Kyo stuffed his hands inside his pockets and kicked some invisible dust on the floor, "Adults always thought they could handle everything"

"They still do" Yuki added, "Nevertheless, dead people don't come back to life. No matter how much we want them to,"

Kyo flinched at Yuki's tone. His father's death was still fresh in everyone's minds after all.

"Yes. That's right"

Kyo looked disbelievingly at Haru, "I guess"

"Just leave it alone, Kyo. You wouldn't want any more complications in our lives"

Kyo headed for the door, "Our life has always been complicated"

xxx

Setsuko rubbed her head tiredly and tried to recall the memory that had a guy who looked suspiciously like Fuji in it.

"Stupid psychotic mind…" she muttered.

"Setsuko?"

The said girl looked up and saw Tohru standing by the door.

"Hey Tohru. Come in"

Tohru took a hesitant step inside, "Um…Setsuko…do you…happen to…um…"

Setsuko sighed and said, "Spit it out"

Tohru shifted around nervously, "Sorry. I was…wondering if you knew why Kyo's acting all strange"

"Doesn't he always?"

Tohru sat beside Setsuko and fingered the bedspread, "Well…he seems…distracted and then I heard him call Fuji-san 'Fuji Sohma' in the kitchen"

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "He did now did he? Well, I for one do not know anyone by the name of Fuji Sohma. Besides, Fuji's last name is Hatsuyachi"

Tohru nodded, "I know. That's what he said too. But Kyo looked so sure and I could tell he didn't quite believe it when Fuji told him wrong"

Setsuko stood up, "I don't really know what's going on in that cat's head, Tohru. Maybe he just feels a little stressed. Schoolwork has been filing up since the Final Exams are coming soon"

Tohru smiled, "You're right. I'm just worrying too much"

Setsuko smirked, "You always worry. There has not been a day that you have not worried over something or someone"

Tohru turned pink, "…that's just the way I am I guess. I'm sorry for bothering you"

Setsuko smiled slightly, "It's fine. Is dinner going to be around anytime soon?"

"Maybe in an hour or so. I think Miss Lara invited Fuji-san over"

Setsuko's eyebrow twitched as Tohru let herself out of the room, "_I swear I taught that woman **too** well_"

Setsuko paced around for a few minutes and stared hard at her mirror. What Tohru said was causing her to delve in the mystery surrounding a particular boy by the name of Fuji Hatsuyachi. Kyo was thinking that he knew Fuji from somewhere, where as Setsuko just had but one completely unknown memory of him.

"Who the hell is he?" she asked out loud, "I am _definitely _going crazy"

Setsuko shook her head and proceeded to go into the library and wait for Fuji. As she opened the door she was surprised to find Yuki there, reading a book with Haru in front of him.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Setsuko said sarcastically.

Yuki raised an eyebrow.

"Just kidding, Yu-chan"

Haru's eyes snapped over to her while a vein throbbed on Yuki's forehead.

"Please do not call me that, Setsuko"

"Why _do _you call my dear Yuki that?" Haru asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Don't worry, Haru. He's all yours" Setsuko said dryly, "I believe that's what Aya calls him"

"You call him Aya?" Yuki snapped distastefully, "Sometimes I wonder if that man really is straight"

"He has a secret relationship with both Shigure and Hatori" Haru said conversationally.

Setsuko's eye twitched for the second time, "Too much information"

"It's just a theory"

Yuki looked green, "That's disgusting, Haru. Stop talking nonsense"

"Yes, Yuki my love"

Yuki turned even greener, "On second thought, do not talk at all"

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "Have any of you seen my charge?"

Haru pointed behind her, "Right there"

"Looking for me, Sei-chan?"

Setsuko's vein grew twice as big as the one Yuki had as she hissed, "If you _ever _want to see the light of day again, _you will not call me that_"

Yuki snickered, "Looks like I'm not the only one with an embarrassing nickname"

"Yours is affectionate, mine is simply made to annoy"

Fuji laughed and clapped a hand on her back, "You think too much"

"First Kyo and Haru now you two" Yuki muttered, "I'm never going to finish this book"

Haru tugged on Yuki's sleeve, "Let's leave Setsuko to her tutoring"

Yuki followed en suite, "I think you mean torturing"

"Same thing" Setsuko said quietly.

Fuji stopped examining the book Yuki was reading, "Did you say anything?"

Setsuko held out her hand, "Where's the question sheet I gave you?"

Fuji pointed at the table, "Over there"

Setsuko picked the thin piece of paper up and noticed the small scribbles on its margin.

"I was bored," Fuji said sheepishly.

_**Flashback**_

_**Fuji stared at his essay paper blankly and started doodling on its edges.**_

"_**Pass your essay now, Fuji," the sensei said.**_

_**Fuji handed the woman his paper only to receive it back.**_

"_**What's wrong, sensei?" he asked, "Is there something wrong with my essay?"**_

_**The teacher sighed, "Pass that to me tomorrow; preferably without writing on the sides unless you want deductions"**_

_**Fuji nodded, "Gomen, sensei"**_

"_**Tomorrow, Fuji, not a day later"**_

_**Fuji walked out of the room and saw his brunette friend sitting on the floor, scratching obscenities on it with a pen.**_

"_**Desecrating again, Sei-chan?"**_

**_Setsuko glared daggers at him, "Do not call me that, _FuFu-chan_"_**

"_**If you must know, I actually like my nickname" Fuji said indignantly.**_

"**_Who the hell would give a _boy _a_ _nickname that starts with 'Fu'?" Setsuko asked, snickering._**

"_**Oh shut it"**_

_**Setsuko stood up and stuffed her pen inside her pocket, "How's you essay?"**_

"_**I'm going to pass it tomorrow"**_

"_**Why?" Setsuko questioned.**_

_**Fuji handed over his paper and pointed at the scribbles.**_

"_**You idiot"**_

_**Fuji smiled sheepishly, "I was bored"**_

_**End of Flashback**_

Setsuko gripped the sheet tightly as she read the scribbles, "_The world is such an unforgivable place full of pain and suffering…yet we still love it this way_"

"Poetic, aren't I?" Fuji said smugly.

Setsuko remained silent.

Fuji noticed her fingers nearly ripping the paper, "You okay, Setsuko? You're about to tear that in half"

Setsuko loosened her grip and muttered, "Sorry"

"It's fine. Just as long as you grade it accordingly" Fuji joked.

Setsuko placed the paper on the table and pierced Fuji with her gaze, "Who are you, Fuji? Who are you really?"

Fuji rolled his eyes comically, "I'm Fuji Hatsuyachi, your willing torture subject just so I can pass 2nd year Algebra"

"Don't fucking lie to me!" Setsuko's cold voice ran chills up his spine, "_Who are you_?"

Fuji was at a loss of words.

He turned his back to her, "I have no idea what you're talking about"

Kyo, Yuki and Haru all ran into the room at record-breaking speed.

"We heard Setsuko shout…" Kyo said, panting.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked.

Haru looked at Fuji's forlorn expression, "I'm guessing she's not. What happened, Fuji-san?"

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm starting to think Kyo is right. Who are you, Fuji?"

Kyo did a victory dance in front of Yuki, "Hear that, rat? I'm right! She said I'm right!"

Yuki pushed him away lightly, "This is not the time for this, damn cat"

Kyo crossed his arms childishly.

Fuji refused to look at anyone in the eye.

"_No…you aren't supposed to remember…none of you are supposed to. I'm supposed to be **dead**…_"

"Fuji" Setsuko repeated, "Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm Fuji" he said, turning around, "Fuji Hatsuyachi"

"To hell you are!" Kyo shouted, "Stop lying!"

"I'm not!" Fuji shouted back, his blue eyes blazing.

"He's not" Shigure's voice said calmly.

Everyone turned toward the doorway.

"Shigure?" Yuki asked, "What do you know about this?"

"Fuji-kun here isn't lying. He is who he says he is"

"Then why do I get flashbacks of him at the Main House? He was never there! He's not even a Sohma!" Setsuko snapped.

Shigure smiled grimly, "He was actually. Right, Kyo?"

Kyo turned to look at Fuji, "I remember you. You were the little kid who used to play with everyone…"

"They said you died" Haru said bluntly.

Fuji flinched, "So I did"

Yuki faced Shigure again, "That Fuji is dead, Shigure. This Fuji can't be him. It's impossible, he died when we were seven"

Setsuko's eyes lowered to the ground, "…then why do I keep on remembering memories from when we were already thirteen?"

Shigure sighed, "I think you should all sit down for this"

xxx

Akito let the little bird on his finger fly away as he lowered his hand to the ground.

"Fly away little one…like all the others do," he said softly.

Outside his room, the sun was shining brightly, not a single cloud anywhere. Akito's eyes looked up at the azure skies and saw a raven fly overhead.

"_Raven's are always bad omens…what misfortunes do you bring this time?_"

Hatori stepped into the room holding his doctor's kit.

"It's time for you check-up, Akito-sama"

Akito smiled serenely and let his eyes flutter close, "It is, isn't it?"

xxx

Silence engulfed the library, suffocating everyone in it.

Shigure took a casual glance at Fuji who was keeping his head down and said, "First of all, Fuji-kun isn't lying. He really is Fuji Hatsuyachi, just like he said he is"

"That's a bunch of bull—" Kyo started.

Shigure cut him off, "Fuji is not a Sohma. A woman claiming that he was brought him in many years ago. The Head of the Sohma's was not Akito back then, but his father. Tetsu-sama was kind and allowed Fuji and his mother to stay"

Fuji's hands gripped his knees tightly.

"But when Fuji was fourteen, we learned that he was not a Sohma at all. His mother was the wife of a Sohma but had cheated on her husband. Fuji was the result. The two of them were sent away and your memories of him were erased. Since Hatori could not erase too much, only the ones after you were seven were erased. Tetsu-sama told everyone that Fuji had died"

"He should've just erased every single one" Fuji muttered, "Then it wouldn't be this complicated"

"Why are you here?" Setsuko said coldly.

"Pure coincidence" Shigure answered, "His mother must've put him in the same school as you"

Fuji nodded weakly, "_What are you up to Shigure-sama?_"

Shigure smiled and clapped his hands happily, "Now that all that has been said…I think it's about time Fuji went home. Your mother must be worried that you are taking so long"

Fuji stood up quickly, "Yes, Shigure-sama" He turned to Setsuko and bowed, "Sorry for the trouble I caused"

He walked out of the room with Shigure following behind him.

"There is something off with that story," Yuki said, looking at the door.

"He's hiding something," Haru added.

Kyo nodded, "That pervert is probably plotting some crazy scheme"

Setsuko ran a hand through her hair and stood up, "Just forget anything happened. All this shit is giving me a headache…"

"You should go lie down." Yuki advised.

"I should"

Setsuko walked out and shut the door quietly.

xxx

"So, Fuji-kun…how was it? Did she remember you?"

Fuji shook his head, "Not until Shigure told her…and everyone else"

Akito rested his chin on his hand, "Yes…that was inevitable, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Akito-sama"

"Has Setsuko changed at all?"

Fuji nodded, "A lot. She is not as introverted and quiet like she was before…I think she likes Kyo"

Akito leaned forward and ran a finger down Fuji's face, "You miss her don't you, Fuji-kun? The way she was?"

"I guess I do"

"Then we'll fix that…did Setsuko suspect anything?" the God questioned.

"Nothing. Nothing at all" Fuji replied.

"Good. After all, the less she thinks of it, the more fun my little game is going to be…"

Fuji looked away and stared out the window, "_I'm sorry, Sei-chan. This is what I have to do…I have to save you from yourself_"

xxx

PS: Oh dear…my Akito is planning something evil again. I probably only have seven chaps left…Woah. That's still a lot. So there's a 100 chance that Sohma Death Angel is going to drag on until my third year! I apologize for my slow updates! Gomen, minna-san!

Anyway, I'm totally hooked on Prince of Tennis right now since I bough the DVD series. Too bad I still have to buy the OVA and it's two movies…poo. More spending! (sobs) I'll soon get hooked on Fullmetal Alchemist during the summer after I finish POT though. Heh. Enough rambling.

Wish me well for the Exams!

-SaMiE-


	18. School Fair Plotting

Hey guys, I'm really sorry for this late update. I've been trying to update since Wednesday night (April 11) but wouldn't let me upload my documents! Gomen!

A/N: I've been lazy haven't I? (ducks from rusty knives) Fine, I've been completely basking in the sin of Sloth. Hehe…my bad? Well, let me attempt to soothe your murderous feelings through this chapter.

Enjoy (?)!

_**Chapter 18: School Fair Plotting**_

xxxxxx 

_Beep. Beep._

Kyo cracked one eye open and stared at the clock that was right beside his head.

_Beep. Beep._

He closed his eyes again only to have them shoot open from the door creaking.

Yuki's half-dead voice filled his ears, "If you don't stop that beeping right now I will personally see to it that you never wake up"

Kyo stuck his tongue out but pressed the stop button anyway, "You are _such _the morning person, aren't you, rat?"

Yuki, being half-asleep and all, decided to ignore the sarcastic tone Kyo's statement had held, "Miss Honda is calling everyone for breakfast"

Kyo stood up and was preparing to be hit by the normal pang of jealousy he always got whenever Yuki mentioned Tohru. The odd thing was that this supposed 'pang' never came. He just stood there. And stood there.

"Are you coming?" Yuki asked, annoyed now, "Not everyone can wait for you, stupid cat"

Kyo shook his head, not even hearing Yuki's comment, "Yeah, yeah"

Kyo followed the purplish-haired boy down the stairs and into the kitchen. Everyone was already there, with the exception of Shigure.

"Where's the dog?" Kyo asked, seating himself at the table.

"The pervert left early this morning saying that he needed to take a hike into the woods to light his fire of inspiration," Haru said quietly.

"Mie's coming over later to pick up his manuscript" Setsuko stated simply, "He didn't finish it"

Kyo snorted, "That explains everything"

Setsuko stared at Yuki and raised an eyebrow, "Is he always this dead during mornings? I've never seen him this way"

Tohru smiled and laid down a bowl in front of her, "Well, he usually wakes up earlier than the rest of us so you never see him in this half-dead state"

Haru stared at his so-called 'love' and said, "Kyo used to bother him when my dear Yuki's like that but he would get beat up twice as worse"

"Meaning Yuki's been holding back when fighting with Kyon-Kyon over here"

"Yes"

Kyo stuffed his face with rice, muttering obscenities inside his mind, "_That's why I want him to fight me seriously, idiot! Damn rat…_"

Setsuko smirked, "If I didn't know any better, I swear Kyon-chan was obsessed with Yuki"

Kyo's eyebrow twitched. Lara covered her mouth to keep from laughing.

Haru turned to Kyo freakishly, "Are you, Kyo? Are you obsessed with _my _dear Yuki?"

Kyo edged away from Haru, "No…"

Tohru looked confused, "Um, Kyo? Why does Haru look like he wants to eat you alive?"

Lara shook her head, "Don't mind them, Tohru. They're just being boys"

Tohru nodded and smiled, still confused though.

_Ring. Ring._

"I'll get it" Tohru offered, heading out into the hall.

"Now who could that be?" Lara asked.

"It's too early…" Yuki mumbled.

Tohru came back into the kitchen and announced, "It was Momiji. He's inviting us to the fair after school today"

"There's a fair at school?" Setsuko asked.

"Hey rat boy! Why didn't you tell us that there's going to be a fair at school?"

Yuki stood up slowly, walked around the table and kicked Kyo out a suspiciously open window.

"Scary" Setsuko commented, taking another bite of her food.

"You should watch when Kyo actually tries to hit him," Haru said.

"I should" Setsuko paused, "Very entertaining, I suppose"

"Immensely"

Lara picked up Kyo's empty plate and commented, "You know, it's somewhat odd to listen to you guys talking"

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Lara smiled, "Because when you talk with each other, the answers are usually short and straight to the point"

Haru set down his chopsticks, "What use is it to have a conversation that keeps on going around in circles when you can have a short concise one?"

"Good point"

Tohru checked the clock on the wall and said, "We should get going. We might arrive late"

Yuki, who had finally snapped out of his stupor, yawned, "Let's leave the cat here if he doesn't want to come"

"Who are you to say that, damn rat???" Kyo's voice shouted.

He stomped back into the room; grabbed Tohru and Haru's arms then zoomed out the door.

Setsuko ran a hand through her hair and stood up, "Awake yet, Yuki?"

Yuki nodded and picked up his school bag, "That noisy cat woke me up"

As the two walked out the house, Yuki asked a question that surprised Setsuko.

"Setsuko, what do you think about Kyo?"

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"I mean, how do you feel about him?"

Setsuko shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe an acquaintance…possibly a friend?"

"Is that it?"

"I guess so"

"I see"

"Why'd you ask?"

Yuki sighed and walked faster, "Well, Kyo's been acting different ever since we moved here. We've been fighting less and less…I can't help but think that the reason for that is you"

"Why me?"

Yuki smiled, "You don't notice that way he looks at you, do you?"

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about"

Yuki didn't reply but instead opted to grin to himself and keep the rest of their walk quiet. Silence really was a great thing for muddled and planning minds.

xxxxxx 

'_Why did this class have to be so goddamn boring?_' Kyo thought, annoyed.

His crimson eyes left the teacher in front of the class that kept on blabbing about…something so boring that Kyo forgot what it was. He, instead, focused on the small bird fluttering around on the windowsill. It chirped and chirped happily until Kyo decided it was way too happy for him and opted to glare at it until it went away. The bird cocked its head to the side.

_Chirp. Chirp. Chirp!_

Kyo's vein bulged.

_Chirp! Chirp!_

'_Oh that's it! You are going down, damn bi—_'

His thoughts were unfortunately cut short when the teacher reprimanded him from standing in class and not paying attention.

"Please sit down, Mr. Sohma. And do not look at that bird like you are going kill it. Pay attention to me"

The rest of the class snickered.

Kyo begrudgingly plopped back in his seat, "_That bird is more lively than you, idiot_"

The teacher who was completely oblivious to the world then continued his immensely boring lesson. Kyo's crimson eyes went back to the window only to find that the bird had flown away because of the teacher's loud voice.

"Damn teacher…" Kyo muttered.

"I heard that"

Kyo went frigid and sweatdropped, "_Yet he doesn't hear his other students when they make fun of him! Why me???_"

"Probably because you're the most noticeable," Hana's monotone voice said from behind him.

"_How the hell did she know that?_" Kyo thought, shuddering.

When the class was over and the bell signaling the first period over had rung, somebody had abruptly pulled Kyo out his seat and into the hallway.

"Hey! Watch it! Ow! That hurts!" Kyo protested.

Uo grinned, "Hurry up, Orange-top. We'll be late for second period"

Kyo pulled his arm away, "Why are you such in a hurry anyway? We have ten minutes to get to our next class"

Hana appeared beside him and said, "Because we want to sit next to Setsuko. The other boys might steal our seats"

"And what would that have to do with me?"

Uo rolled her eyes, "You'd rather leave her alone to be ravaged by the perverted boys of our class?"

"As if she'd let herself be ravaged" Kyo shot back.

Hana scanned his waves and declared, "You're worried"

"I am not! Why the hell would I be worried?"

"Because you like her"

"I do not!" Kyo shouted.

Uo grinned, "Of course you don't. Now let's go, I want to meet our new Home Ec teacher"

"Since when did we have Home Ec?" Kyo asked, scrunching up his nose.

"Since last week," Hana replied, "The principal announced it during the assembly of which you were late to"

"Enough babbling. Let's go in! Yosh!" Uo shouted, entering the room, "Morning, Sei-chan!"

Setsuko twitched at hearing the nickname and felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Hi Setsuko!" Fuji greeted.**_

_**Setsuko put her book down and glared at the boy in front of her, "What do you want, Fuji-san?"**_

_**Fuji pouted, "What's with the formality? I'm your friend remember? Call me Fuji"**_

_**Setsuko rolled her eyes and went back to her book, "Whatever, Fuji"**_

_**Fuji jumped up and cheered, "Yay! She called me Fuji! Now…to get you to call me FuFu-chan…"**_

_**Setsuko cringed, "Never in this life time. I can't believe you actually like that name"**_

"_**It's cute. Now that I think about it, you should have a nickname too!"**_

"_**No freakin' way. Don't even go there"**_

_**Fuji paused, "Um…I know! Sei-chan!"**_

_**Setsuko slammed the book she was reading on her forehead, "I hate my life"**_

"_**Now don't do that, Sei-chan" Fuji reprimanded.**_

"_**Just kill me now"**_

_**End Flashback**_

"Setsuko?" Uo hollered, poking the said girl's shoulder.

Setsuko shook her head, "Uh…what?"

"You spaced out" Uo said, "Your eyes went all glassy. Weird"

Hana smiled in this creepy all-knowing way, "She was having a flashback"

Kyo stepped away from the psychic, "Weird. Very weird"

Tohru came up to them and said, "Hey guys!"

"Hello Tohru" Hana replied.

Tohru smiled, "What are you talking about?"

Uo pointed to Setsuko, "She was having a flashback"

"Like Willy Wonka from the American movie 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'?"

"Yep"

"How do you know that movie?" Setsuko asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yuki stepped beside Tohru; "I think Ayame brought the DVD over once. I don't know why though"

Kyo snorted, "I think he watches that movie because Willy Wonka acts like a pedophile"

"Stop talking like that in front of Miss Honda!"

"What are you going to do about it, huh?"

Tohru waved her hands and tried to stop the two from fighting, "It's okay, Yuki! Please don't fight each other, Kyo!"

Uo raised an eyebrow, "Who's Ayame?"

Yuki glared at Kyo and replied, "My brother"

Hana once again read his waves then said, "Prince Yuki hates him. His waves turn red when he speaks of this 'Ayame'"

"Why?" Uo asked.

Kyo promptly burst our laughing, "Because he made Yuki over here wear girl clothes when he was a kid! It was so goddamn fu---"

_SLAM!_

Yuki brought his leg down and turned to Uo and Hana, "Please don't listen to an idiot like Kyo. He has no idea what he's talking about"

"Who you calling an idiot, idiot???" Kyo shouted, stomping over to him.

His stride was, however, abruptly put to a stop when the Home Ec teacher walked into room.

"Good morning, class. Welcome to your first Home Ec meeting. I'm Ms. Eitaro"

Kyo crossed his arms grumpily and took his seat beside Uo.

"Don't worry, Kyo. You'll beat him someday," Uo said.

"Oh no, he won't" Setsuko and Hana said at the same time.

Kyo crossed his arms and frowned.

"Awww!" Uo said, pulling Kyo's cheeks, "Kyon-chan looks so adorable when he's pissed"

Ms. Eitaro tapped the board, "Please settle down, Miss…"

"Uotani" Uo said.

"Thank you. Please save your love quarrels for after the class"

Uo made a face, "Actually, the real lovers here are Mr. Kyo Sohma and Ms. Setsuko---"

Uo was, unfortunately, cut short by a large and heavy paper rock thrown from somewhere near Setsuko.

"Ow…" Uo rubbed her head, "That fucking hurt!"

Ms. Eitaro shook her head and went back to the lesson.

"You're are so paying me back for that later!" Uo threatened, sinking low in her seat.

Setsuko stuck her tongue out at the blonde and stared back at the board, ignoring Uo's glare.

xxxxxx 

Later that day, Tohru had pulled all of them by their arms and headed over to the school fair.

"Hey guys!" Momiji's cheery voice greeted them.

"Hey" Haru, who was behind the rabbit, added.

Tohru turned around and waved, "Hello Momiji. Did you have a fun day today?"

Momiji grinned and jumped lightly, "Yeah. My friends and I played lots of games and we locked our teacher inside the classroom closet!"

Yuki sighed, "Momiji. You're not supposed to do that. You might get in trouble."

Tohru turned to Haru and asked, "How about you, Haru? Did anything exciting happen today?"

"Well," Haru started, "The President was giving Momiji a hard time because of his uniform again so I decided to give him a swirly in the bathroom"

Setsuko rubbed her temple tiredly, "Wait 'till Hatori hears about this. He's going to blow his top"

Uo nudged Setsuko's shoulder, "Isn't he the freaky apathetic doctor?"

"Oh yeah"

"He's creepy"

"Hana's creepier" Kyo muttered.

Hana's piercing eyes looked at him. Kyo shrank back in fear.

Hana turned around and pointed to the House of Mirrors, "Let's go there"

Tohru looked at the small tent and nodded enthusiastically, "What a great idea, Hana! Do you guys want to come? It's okay if you don't"

Yuki ushered her into the tent's flap and said, "It's okay. I wanted to see inside anyway. I think class 3-F made this one"

"Yay!" Momiji shouted, "This is fun!" He then proceeded to make faces at the freakishly shaped mirrors.

Uo, who had been talking to a third year student earlier, learned that some of these mirrors can spin around and force you to go into another room or hallway. She, being pissed and all at the rock Setsuko had thrown at her, decided to use that as a very effective plan to get the said girl lost.

What Uo didn't expect was that the moment Setsuko fell, she pulled Kyo and Hana through the mirror too.

"Oh shit" Setsuko muttered.

"Yare, yare" Hana said, inspecting the dust-covered walls.

Kyo knocked on his head a couple of times, "What the hell…?"

"I'm so getting Uo for this" Setsuko muttered darkly.

Kyo's vein throbbed on his forehead as he shouted very, _very_, **_VERY_ **loudly, "DAMN YANKEE!!! WHERE THE HELL ARE WE???"

xxxxxx 

Uo's eye twitched as she heard Kyo's scream.

"Was that Kyo?" Yuki asked suspiciously.

"I think he, Setsuko and Hana went that way" Momiji said, pointing to the mirror.

Uo gave him a noogie nervously, "Don't mind him. Crazy kid…seeing things…"

Yuki sweatdropped.

"Where _did _they go?" Tohru asked.

Uo's eyes darted around as she pointed to a random corridor, "Look Tohru! I think I saw a pretty pink crown!"

"Oooh!" Tohru said happily, dragging Momiji behind her.

Haru snorted and said to Uo, "You better get those three back before they get into bigger trouble"

"No shit"

xxxxxx 

PS: Okay fine. I was kidding about the soothing part since I basically left you with an annoying cliffhanger. (evil cackle) Don't worry though. I hope to have the next chapter up next week. Mind you, I said '_hope_'. Don't kill me if I…Erm…forget.

And oh yeah, I've finally gotten off my crazy ass and deleted my two other _horrible _stories. I apologize for the eyes that have bled because of them. For my up and coming Harry Potter story…it looks like that might be postponed as well. I am currently on this drone mode and the plot bunny I had decided to take care of has suddenly run away. So I'm left with a title and a summary but no plot. So crap. Don't hope for that to come soon either. I'm not giving you guys any hope at all, am I? Lol.

Before I forget, I'm inviting everyone to watch the totally COOL and GREAT animè that is BLEACH. It is very, very cool with great characters and plot line. It happens to be my current addiction too. Hmmm…I wonder if that's the reason behind my laziness. Oh shit. (hides Bleach DVD's from readers). No! Stay away!!

Tata! Must run! (dashes from psychopathic killing readers)

-SaMiE-


	19. Insights on The Sims, Life & Hatori

A/N: Yay! Another chapter! Drabble and Drama in this one though…Enjoy! (or not)

_**Chapter 19: Insights on The Sims, Life and Hatori**_

xxxxxx 

"Where the are we? It's dark and it's dusty"

"Stop your complaining" Kyo muttered, "I think all of us can see that it is dark and dusty. No need to point it out"

"Somebody's pissy"

"Who wouldn't? I'm stuck in an unknown place with emo-gothic-psychic-creepy and sadistic-crazy girls! I fear for the sake of my sanity!"

Setsuko raised and eyebrow, "Did you even have any to begin with?"

Kyo crossed his arms grumpily and said nothing.

Hana chuckled darkly, "I like it when Kyo's like this. His waves are so fun to read"

"His waves? Do tell, Hana"

Hana smiled, "I can't. It would ruin the show"

"_What are we? A play?_" Setsuko and Kyo thought in a completely _coincidental _way.

"Yes. Arisa and I seem to think so" Hana replied absently.

Kyo made a face, "Please don't reply when you know we're just thinking it. I think it just raised the 'I'm going to freak out' factor even more. Wait—did you just think the same thing I did?"

Setsuko shrugged, "Who cares? All I want to do I get out of here" she turned to Hana, "Do you have any idea where we are?"

Hana shook her head and made a spider crawl on her arm, "I think we are 'inside the walls' so to speak. These maybe the paths the students used to build the other walls. They seal them off after construction"

"So you mean we're stuck here!" Kyo exclaimed, "That's screwed over"

"We just need to find another revolving mirror that'll take us back inside" Hana finished.

Setsuko smirked, "Wouldn't it be funny if we find some Third-Year students making out here? Great for blackmail"

Hana nodded serenely, "Yes. Blackmailing upperclassmen is always an enjoyable pastime"

Kyo's mouth dropped open in disbelief, "Pastime? What are we to you? Characters from The Sims?"

Setsuko turned to him, "I never thought of it that way. But yes, it fits, doesn't it?"

Kyo sweatdropped.

Hana began to walk forward and said conversationally, "Wouldn't it be great to play God for one day and control all the humans like The Sims?"

Setsuko sighed, "Too bad we can only dream of that moment"

"Yes…sadly,"

"Sadists" Kyo muttered.

Setsuko smiled remorsefully, '_I wish it could always be like this…no burdens and just living in the moment. It just despairs me to know that this can't last, that this temporary happiness is all that it is. Temporary. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever find happiness, or if I've become worthy enough to deserve it_'

Do you know what it feels like to lose yourself in the moment? To be so caught up in this single instance in life that you forget all your troubles and just live? If these moments serve to remind of us of our time here on earth then Setsuko must've experienced more than a dozen people have in their lifetime. Why, you ask, is this despairing? To her, as the Sohma Death Angel, and the others, as members of the Zodiac, these moments are like anchors to reality. They represent all the time in the world that she has yet her happiness is always so scarce. To relish the moment then have it taken way…you experience pain, so much pain.

These moments remind her of her life and the grief that she caused herself and others. When you are destined to live out a normal human lifespan yet is not able to die through suicide or something else, it kills you.

It kills you from the inside…slowly and painfully.

The thoughts find their way into your mind and you start to wonder why you were even brought into this forsaken world if all you can do is cause other people pain. Life is a wonderful thing but when we get so lost in it…it's not healthy. There are victims from all walks of life and the Sohma family is just one example.

Setsuko in herself is a tragic victim of the whirlpool of life. All she wanted was a family & happiness but it was taken away from her. Yuki only wanted to have friends but that too was taken away from him. Kyo wanted to be accepted by his mother but even that was too much to ask for. Tohru, as good as she is, only wanted more time to spend with her mother but this plea was denied.

So why bother being good and doing all these good things when pain beyond comprehension is all you get in return?

The answer is pretty simple. In our lives, we affect not only ourselves but also the people around us. We affect them in the smallest yet the most significant ways. Though we may get so caught up in the moments life throws our way and we often forget about these people, just remember who you are and what you are living for and everything will work out fine. And even if we are reminded of our limited time here on earth just by making your life worthwhile is enough. It truly is enough.

Setsuko smiled wryly, "_For the Sohma family and I, I wish it was just that simple_"

Hana placed a hand on her arm and said, "It's okay to lose yourself in the moment, Setsuko. Because even if they only last a little while it still reminds you that there is happiness and hope in life"

Setsuko sighed, "I have got to learn how to block my mind from yours. You might read something would rather not have read at all"

"…Because some things are better left unknown?"

"It would seem that way"

Hana smiled lightly, "Not everything is as it seems"

"Too true"

Kyo coughed loudly from behind them and said, "I won't even bother to ask what you're talking about"

"Would you even understand, Kyo?"

Hana raised an eyebrow, "For some odd particular reason I get the feeling that he will"

"That would be the day," Setsuko murmured, "Now let's find our way out of here"

Kyo noticed something flickering by a corner, "Look. I think I saw some light there"

Hana watched Kyo's retreating back and said, "You should have more faith in him, Setsuko. He's smarter than he lets on"

Setsuko sighed audibly, "I know he is. I just don't know how he'll react if—"

"—If he finds out you like him?"

Setsuko grimaced, "_Something like that…I nearly slipped…_"

Hana moved forward, "You should really trust someone other than yourself…if you don't…then you're not the only one who loses"

"Maybe" Setsuko replied.

"It's too soon to tell anyway"

"To tell what exactly?"

Hana smiled knowingly, "The outcome of your situation"

Setsuko kept silent, "_The outcome is something that I am not looking forward to…it really isn't_"

"Hey guys! I think you better take a look at this" Kyo's shouted from ahead of them.

The two girls headed over to Kyo and asked, "What is it?"

Kyo pointed to the source of the light he had seen earlier, "That is 'it'"

Setsuko's eyebrow rose, "Is that…a _two-way mirror_?"

Hana pressed a finger up to the glass and tapped it. The freshmen inside the maze were shocked at the noise and bolted for the exit, screaming like girls and almost wetting their pants.

"Yes it is"

Kyo shivered involuntarily, "Those Third Years are sick. Who would put two-way mirrors in a Mirror Maze?"

Hana turned to him, "Why Kyo? Do you have something to hide?"

Kyo's eye twitched as he spoke to Setsuko, "Please tell her to stop scaring me"

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "Hana, I think he's about to wet his pants"

"I DIDN'T TELL YOU TO SAY THAT!" Kyo protested loudly.

"You didn't say I couldn't"

"I wonder how many of the mirrors here are two-way?" Hana wondered to herself.

Kyo looked longingly at the other side shown by the not-so-reflective surface, "_Freedom…_" "Can't we just break one of these and get out of here?"

"Yes, we could actually," Setsuko started, "But you'd also have an angry Hatori breathing down your neck trying to murder you. Hatori & anger is not a very good combination"

"Why are you so afraid of Hatori? You always worry about him going psycho. Not that he's ever _been _psycho"

Setsuko stared at Kyo and said simply, "Because he is a person to be feared"

Kyo snapped his mouth shut, "_Somehow in some weird, __**crazy**__ way, she's right. Hatori is a force to be reckoned with if he does get angry… He might remove your memories and leave you somewhere to rot…_" Kyo felt a chill climb up his back, "_But he isn't that type of person, it's not in his nature to hurt others… I mean, that's why he became a doctor right?_"

Yes, Kyo was indeed right. But when duty and Akito call for it, he will use his ability to dispose of memories to hurt others, if not unknowingly. No matter how good he is as a person; he is still bound by their curse. He is still compelled to follow all that Akito orders him to do. It's sad but, hey, that's reality. The only thing we can do is accept it.

Setsuko does not have any ill feelings towards the silent doctor but she's cautious. No matter how strong she is or how much pain she can take, she can't lose all the friends that she's made, all the memories that she has of them and them of her. To be holed up for nearly twelve years with no one to talk to, it is and will always be scary. This is why people who get stuck on desert islands all alone go paranoid or psychotically kill themselves, because they have no company. No one to make them laugh and tell them everything's going to be all right. They only have themselves to depend on.

Yuki knows how it feels to suddenly be stripped of your friends. He knows what it's like to be having fun one day then the next, everyone has already forgotten about you. The sad thing is that life still goes on. When Hatori erases people's memory of you, life goes on for _them_. They forget that you ever existed but still they go on with their life while you're stuck with the memories.

Do you remember the time when Ayame said that he hates Kana? His reason was entirely rational.

"_**It's not fair, Hatori. It's not fair that she can be happy while you're stuck here with all these memories**_"

Sad but true.

In the lives of the Zodiac who were cursed by the God, every happy moment is to be cherished. Before Tohru had come along and shown some of the Zodiac's members the happiness the light brought, they were all submerged in this sea of darkness and despair. They have a right to be depressed but to move through the life you were given without really living…it's not right. Every moment has to be lived to the fullest because one day we may suddenly have regrets about not doing something during a particular time in our lives. Regrets are the things that you would rather not be burdened by for the years to come.

Maybe, just maybe, the reason why Akito allowed Tohru to keep her memories was the simple fact that she gave him and everyone hope. She gave them a reason to look forward to each day they have on earth. Maybe because she was the first person to have Akito accept the reality of his curse and give him hope that someday the curse will go away. These are only theories but, hey, they're better than nothing.

Kyo coughed through the dust-laden air and brushed a few stray cobwebs aside, "You shouldn't judge Hatori too quickly, Setsuko. He maybe scary at times but he's a good person deep down…you can see it in the smiles that he thinks no one sees"

Setsuko smiled, "Good answer but…"

Kyo blushed lightly, "But what?"

"Now I have to pay Hana 1000 yen"

Kyo pointed an accusing finger at the brunettes and shouted, "YOU WERE BETTING ON ME???"

"Naturally. We were bored" Setsuko replied smoothly.

Kyo calmed down for a bit and asked, "What did you bet on actually?"

Setsuko shrugged, "Actually, Hana just told me that if you said something smart during our time here, I have to pay her 1000 yen"

"I knew you had it in you, Kyo" Hana congratulated monotonously.

Setsuko pat the orange-haired boy's shoulder and said, "I think I'll have to change my opinion of you from now on"

Kyo felt himself smile, "_I think that's a good thing_"

xxxxxx 

Uo sighed audibly as Tohru cooed over the pink princess crown that happened to be lying on the floor of the corridor that she randomly pointed to. How that crown got there beats me. It was still a good thing though. Tohru and Momiji had been admiring its 'pinkness' for the past forty-five minutes.

Yuki checked his watch and asked, "Those three have been lost for a long time. Where do you think they could be?"

Haru calmly walked over to a mirror and pressed his finger on it.

"This is a two-way mirror"

Uo looked closely at the glass and commented, "Cool. How do you know?"

"I know stuff"

Uo narrowed her eyes at him, "You know, Yuki…he reminds me a lot of Hana. Maybe they're twins separated at birth?"

"Somewhat likely" Yuki replied.

Momiji, who had heard their conversation, immediately launched himself on the mirror hoping to see what was behind it, "Awww! I can't see anything!"

Tohru smiled at him, "That's okay, Momiji. Two-way mirrors are supposed to be two-way on one side only"

Momiji pushed himself off only to make the mirror revolve halfway. Three extremely dusty teens popped out.

"Oooh!" Momiji exclaimed happily, "It's Kyo, Hana and Setsuko! So that's where you went!"

Yuki rolled his eyes, "I'll take a wild guess and say that this was all Kyo's fault"

"Hey!" Kyo shouted, "It was not!"

Hana nodded, "Yes, Prince Yuki, it's Arisa's fault"

Yuki turned to Uo only to sweatdrop. Setsuko had run the blonde over and promptly proceeded to choke her to death.

"Setsuko, she's going to be dead in a matter of minutes and you'll be sent of to prison"

Setsuko smirked, "I'm only sixteen. I can't be held legally responsible"

Yuki slapped a hand to his forehead.

Tohru giggled as the group walked out of the House of Mirrors, "That was fun"

Momiji then took that time to grab Tohru's hand and beg in a very, very puppy-like voice, "Tohru, Tohru! Let's go to the Haunted House next!"

Tohru nodded happily, "That's a great idea, Momiji!"

Everybody groaned.

Tohru pouted, "Um…I guess you guys don't want to go anymore?"

Yuki sighed, "Erm…okay, Miss Honda"

Kyo rubbed his neck, "Yeah…one more attraction won't kill us right?"

Setsuko and Uo glared at him and replied, "Famous last words"

xxxxxx 

PS: I feel for them…no one can resist Tohru as far as I know. Good for her. Anyway, I'm an avid fan of the Sims and I've always thought 'What if I could play Sims in real life? As in control all the people around me?' Wouldn't that be so cool? But sadly, as mentioned earlier, we can only dream of that moment. (sighs) So what do you think of this chapter? I personally like the insights about Hatori and why Ayame hates Kana. Very dramatic. True though.

And the end draws near! I plan to wrap this up in 24 chapters so five chapters to go! That's about three months from now! Muahahahaha!!!

And please, _please_, **please**, please, _**please**_ review! They really mean a lot! I used to get about five reviews per chap but now I only get two or three! Please review! I'm not updating until I get 71 reviews!

-SaMiE-


	20. House of Hell, Part I: The Hellish Rooms

A/N: An update after a month? Woah. That's a long time! Well, as summer draws to an end, I feel very, very sad. I didn't do anything fun during this summer except for finishing off all my animè DVD's and going online 24/7. Bah. My summer sucks. And I have no inspiration during summer…although I _did _write three one-shots…weird.

_**Chapter 20: House of Hell, Part I: The Hellish Rooms**_

xxxxxx 

Kyo shivered at the sight of the scary infrastructure that was supposed to be the Haunted House.

Yuki nodded appreciatively and said, "2-D made this one. They asked permission from the principal to use the gymnasium. Impressive, isn't it?"

Setsuko eyed the signboard hoisted above the double doors "'_See you in hell'_. A bit intimidating, don't you think?"

Hana and Haru then strode into the 'House of Hell' without batting an eyelash.

Uo sighed, "Let's get this over with. My feet are already killing me from that stupid Mirror Maze"

Kyo glared at her and retorted, "Whose brilliant idea was it to push us through mirror in the first place?"

"You talking to me, Carrot-top?" Uo shot back, "Whose idea was it to pull Hana and Setsuko along anyway?"

Tohru heard them arguing and said quietly, "You don't have to go in if you don't want to…Erm…it's okay, really"

The two shut up and blushed, "It's fine, Tohru"

Tohru smiled uncertainly and nodded, "Okay"

Momiji grinned and pulled Tohru through the doors, "Off we go!"

Setsuko smirked at Uo and Kyo and said, "You two are so ass-whipped by a person who doesn't even know what 'ass-whipping' means"

Kyo folded his arms, "And you're not?"

Uo sighed dramatically, "Tohru is just simply too pure and innocent to resist"

Kyo immediately turned pink.

"Not like that, idiot!" Uo shouted.

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "I think Shigure's perverted personality is rubbing off on you"

Kyo grumbled and opened the black door, "Oh shut up. Let's just go in"

Uo laughed, "You are so ass-whipped by Setsuko, too!"

Setsuko sighed, "You guys are blocking the way"

Uo smiled, "Yeah, yeah. Let's go, Orangey!"

She then chose to grab Kyo's arm and drag him inside.

Setsuko felt the urge to throw her hands up, "_Even I wonder why I'm friends with these two_"

The group of kids behind her suddenly shouted, "Come on, lady! Move it!"

Setsuko chuckled humorlessly and turned around sharply. Her withering glare reduced the poor kid to wet his pants and run off to find his mommy.

"Kids…" Setsuko muttered, shaking her head.

xxxxxx 

Momiji clung on to Yuki's left arm as they made their way through the barely-lit corridor, "Yuki, I'm scared. I want to go out now"

Yuki sighed and knelt down, "Momiji, you're the one who wanted to go here in the first place"

Momiji nodded dumbly at Yuki's 'pretty boy' stare and headed off to Tohru, "Hey, Tohru! Let's go see what's in this room!"

Tohru smiled and nodded, "Which one?"

Momiji dragged her and Yuki over to the door on the right. As the trio entered the dark room they faintly heard a door closing outside followed by a voice cackling.

Tohru and Momiji quickly hid behind Yuki, "Wha—What was that?"

"It was probably more people coming in. There's no reason to be afraid"

Tohru laughed nervously, "You're right, Yuki. Nothing to be afraid o---"

Momiji then pointed behind her and shouted, "TOHRU! WHAT'S THAT BEHIND YOU???"

Tohru turned around slowly and paled. There was this skeleton coming out of the closet behind her, it's arms positioned so that it looked like it was grabbing you.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! Let's get out of this room!!!" Tohru screamed, pulling Yuki and Momiji through another door.

The moment they stepped into the next room that was completely pitch black, candles suddenly lit themselves up. The scary part was that these candles were perched on tables situated under big portraits giving the said pictures an eerie surreal glow.

Momiji saw a shadow move at the corner of his eye and immediately hid behind Tohru.

"To-Tohru…" Momiji said quietly, "The rooms are getting scarier by the minute"

Tohru nodded vigorously and eyed the paintings on the wall, "Those self-portraits look almost real…"

The portrait of a woman in her fifties that she was looking at suddenly turned its head and glared at her menacingly, "I suggest you get out before you end up like me"

Tohru and Momiji both shrieked loudly and pulled the unsuspecting Yuki back into the hall. Yuki had been leaning over one of the small tables, trying to find out why the candles had lit up by themselves. Tohru's pulling almost caused him to burn his own hair and tip a table over. Almost.

Yuki shook his head repeatedly, "_Why did I agree to go through this house in the first place?_"

"_**Maybe because you actually like Tohru?**_"

Yuki frowned at the voice inside his head, if it was possible. "_Of course I like her. Who wouldn't?_"

"_**For someone so smart, you sure are dense**_"

Yuki shook the voice away and looked at Tohru and Momiji who were panting, trying to catch their breaths.

"That was so scary!" Momiji shouted, "Let's do it again!"

Yuki smiled slightly, "Your happy attitude never ceases to amaze me, Momiji"

Momiji grinned at the compliment.

"Hey guys! Look at this," Tohru voice echoed throughout the empty hall.

Yuki took Momiji's hand and they turned a corner. Tohru was standing in front of this fluorescent pink door with a picture of a pink tiara on it.

Yuki sweatdropped, "_Why is there a pink tiara on that door?_"

"Let's go in!" Tohru said happily, opening the door and stepping inside.

"Wait for me, Tohru!" Momiji shouted, bounding in after her.

Yuki halted mid-step as he suddenly remembered something a gothic second year told him.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Good morning, Sohma-san"**_

_**Yuki turned around and bowed, "Good morning, Ibu-san. Was there anything you needed?"**_

_**Okami Ibu smiled slightly and shook her head "I just wanted to tell you that if you and Honda-san go into the Haunted House later, I suggest not going into the room with the pink door. She might faint from shock"**_

_**Yuki faced her fully and asked, "Why? Is something bad going to happen in that room?"**_

_**Okami just smiled and said, "Depends on what kind of person enters the room. And people like Honda-san…they might not like that particular room"**_

_**Yuki bowed, "Thank you for the advice. I'll keep it in mind"**_

_**Okami nodded, "Okay. Don't forget, Sohma-san"**_

_**Then she walked away, taking with her the gloomy air that surrounded her persona.**_

_**Yuki felt chills up his spine and muttered, "That was odd"**_

_**End Flashback**_

"_Oh well, too late. The room can't be that bad_"

A second later, if not sooner, Tohru's scream reverberated throughout the huge 'house'.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"_I thought that too soon_" Yuki sighed and entered via the pink door.

His mouth dropped open.

xxxxxx 

"Eek!" Kyo shrieked, jumping away from the banshee-like thing coming out of the wall.

Uo raised an eyebrow, "Did you just say 'eek'?"

"I believe he just did," Setsuko replied, "And these aren't even scary…if _I _had been the one to design this house…"

A sadistic smile crept over Setsuko's face.

Uo and Kyo shuddered.

"I don't even want to think about that," Kyo muttered.

Uo laughed and said, "Yeah, Kyon-kyon. Wouldn't want you to pee in your pants, now would we?"

Kyo crossed his arms and huffed, "What am I? Five?"

"You act like one"

Setsuko ignored them and saw a flight of stairs heading up.

"Guys…why does this supposed house have a second floor? The gym doesn't _have _a second floor"

Uo stopped annoying Kyo for a moment and looked up the steps, "I guess they built one. They must be serious about this fair. Wanna go up?"

"Yeah" Setsuko said, "Let's see if we can push Kyo down the stairs"

"Hey!" Kyo protested, "We haven't even spent half an hour in here and you're already plotting my death!"

"Naturally"

A vein throbbed on the orange-haired boy's forehead, "You said the same thing when you and Hana bet on me in the Mirror Maze"

Uo smirked, "It's fun to irk you, Orange-top. Right, Sei-chan?"

Setsuko's eye twitched at the nickname but replied anyway, "He's very irk-able"

"Is that even a word?" Kyo mumbled.

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "Does it have to be for you to understand it?"

Kyo stuck his tongue out.

"Hey guys! Come here! It's really cool!" Uo shouted from…upstairs?

Setsuko raised an eyebrow, "How the hell did she get up there so fast?"

Kyo, being the blunt person he was, asked, "How did you get up here so fast, Yankee?"

"What did you call me, Orangey?" Uo asked through gritted teeth.

Kyo put his face near hers and said slowly, "Ya-n-kee"

Uo pretended to push up her non-existent sleeves and grabbed a whip from her pocket, "You are going down, Carrot-top. You chose the wrong day to piss me off"

Setsuko sighed, "Won't you _please _stop fighting? I think I'm developing a migraine"

Uo and Kyo unwisely chose to ignore her.

"I warned you" Setsuko muttered.

With one shove from her pointer fingers, she took advantage of their position precariously perched at the edge of the stairs and sent them rolling. Literally.

_Thump. Crash. Bang._

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR???"

Setsuko rolled her eyes and began walking the length of the hallway. At its very end, since the corridor turned to the right, there was a door that had the name 'Annie' on it in peach and baby blue letters. Like the letters you see on the door of a baby's room. She stepped inside and as she was closing the door, a small hole above the doorknob suddenly squirted blood, or something that looked like blood, on her uniform and on her hand.

"Gross" Setsuko muttered, shaking the excess liquid off and allowing it to drip on the floor.

She took a look around the room and realized that it was indeed a baby's room. The walls were light blue and yellow and there was crib in one corner. This room would've been out of place in a Haunted House but the blood stains on the crib and the spatter on the wall made everything look very, very creepy.

Setsuko stepped closer to the crib and placed her 'bloodied' hand on its edge leaving behind a red palm mark. She gripped the rail tighter as she remembered something…a long lost memory.

_**Flashback**_

_**Setsuko entered the room and heard giggling. That was odd. Whenever she was about to send people off to the other side, they would usually be crying or sobbing hysterically. But no, whoever this person was, they were laughing.**_

"_**What the hell?"**_

_**Setsuko opened the door and saw a small bed by the left wall. There was a wriggling, tiny one-year-old baby hidden in the covers. The little boy raised his tiny arms up, as if begging to be carried.**_

_**Setsuko sat down at the edge of the bed and allowed the baby to grab her finger. It gurgled and rolled onto its stomach. Setsuko made a face. There was this two-inch gash on the baby's head suggesting that he might have fallen off the said bed and well, died.**_

_**Setsuko sighed and brushed her hand across the baby's face, "It's going to be alright. Don't worry…"**_

_**She picked the baby up and raised her right arm up. The familiar portal opened in front of them.**_

_**Setsuko smiled at the baby and whispered, "It's going to be fine, kid"**_

_**She stepped closer to the portal and placed the baby in. The portal closed. Setsuko looked away.**_

_**End Flashback**_

"_Some parents they were. Allowing your kid to fall off the bed…_" Setsuko thought.

Then the door opened. Kyo and Uo screamed and shut the door. Setsuko raised an eyebrow at their peculiar behavior and suddenly laughed. It must've been scary to see one of your friends with blood on her clothes, in a bloody room with her hand on a bloody crib.

Setsuko snorted, "Idiots"

xxxxxx 

Hana and Haru walked along the endless corridors of the second floor and heard two screams.

"That sounds like Kyo and Uo" Haru said, looking behind them and attempting to wipe the blood off his uniform.

"It is Kyo and Arisa" Hana replied, picking up a 'bloody' knife on the floor, "I believe they just saw Setsuko in the room that we were in a few minutes ago"

True to her word, Kyo and Uo suddenly ran up behind them. They saw the two blood covered teens with one of them holding a knife then promptly fainted.

"That was entertaining" Hana commented.

Haru smirked, "Yes it was"

xxxxxx 

PS: Funny? Weird? Sad? Send me your comments! No update until I get _at least_ 76 reviews!

And too _**KK-chan/Queen Blacksun**_: No cheating! You can't review more than once! Or else I won't count your other reviews!

See you guys! And visit my blog sometime. It's the homepage link in my profile.

-SaMiE-


	21. House of Hell, Part II: The Games

Guys…I'm really, REALLY sorry about this chapter! I typed it about two weeks ago but when I was supposed to post it, my computer wouldn't let me connect to the internet! When I tried to restart the damn thing it wouldn't run anymore! It stopped working! Right when I was about to update! DAMN THIS PC!!! So I have been suffering for two weeks without any computer-interaction whatsoever. Damnit. I apologize. Please forgive me. Oh yeah, and right now, my stupid computer only has 16 colors and has a size of 640 x 840 pixels. Big, I know. Well, I have to make do. Sorry again! 

A/N: I have come back! With a somewhat long chappy! Yay for me! I'd like to thank all those who reviewed the last chapter! Finally! People reviewing! bows down to reviewers I dedicate this chapter to all those who read and reviewed! Arigato Gozaimasu, minna-san!

More humor and a bit of fluff here…

To : I'm really sorry I can't put more fluffy scenes in between Setsuko and Kyo since this story isn't really centered on romance. Romance is just a really tiny sub-plot. The story is more about the drama and humor in between. Weird, I know. I'm really sorry! I'll try to put fluff in the following chaps!

Chapter 21: House of Hell: Part II, The Games Hana and Haru Play 

"Tohru! Tohru! Wake up!" Yuki called out, shaking the said girl's still form.

Momiji peered over his shoulder and asked, "Is she alright, Yuki?"

Yuki sighed, "She's definitely unconscious"

He looked around the room and shook his head. The room was your typical, girly-bedroom minus the fact that the walls were stained with 'blood' and all the stuffed animals and Barbie dolls had some form of weapon stuck in them, and may it be a knife, a pen or a spoon. And Tohru being, well, Tohru, was so shocked that she passed out.

"I think the decapitated life-sized Barbie plushy did her in," Momiji offered happily.

Yuki's eyebrows raised way up, "Momiji! Who taught you to talk like that?"

Momiji grinned, "Sei-chan…and Hana-chan…and—"

Yuki sighed and said, "It's okay, Momiji. You just…surprised me"

Momiji pouted cutely, "I'm sorry, Yuki. I didn't mean to—"

Yuki placed both his arms on the blonde child's shoulders and flashed his 'pretty boy' face.

"Don't worry. I'm not mad"

Momiji wiped the tears that were about to fall and asked, "Really?"

Yuki smiled, "Really"

Momiji smiled, not an overly happy/hysteric one, but a real one. Sometimes Yuki's reassuring aura does that to you. It's kind funny actually. For a person to bring such happiness and light to other while he himself is immersed in darkness and pain…it's admirable. He is indeed someone to be proud of.

Tohru began to stir and so Yuki and Momiji quickly rushed to her side.

Yuki looked worried, "Maybe we should move her out of this room before she wakes up. She might pass out again if she sees all this"

"Okay, Yuki"

They picked her up by her arms and half-dragged her out of the 'Pink' room.

Tohru blinked and mumbled, "Yuki? Where am I?"

Yuki smiled down at her, "We're in the Haunted House. You got really scared by something and fainted"

"Oh" Tohru replied dumbly, "What was I scared of?"

Yuki cast a fleeting glance at the room behind them and said, "It's better if you just forget about that. You could pass out again if I tell you"

Tohru smiled and nodded, "Alright. Where should we go next?"

Momiji tugged on her arm and pointed up a flight of stairs, "I saw these earlier when we came down this hall! Can we go up? Please?"

They then heard two loud thumps, as if something heavy had been promptly dropped to the floor.

"I wonder what that was…" Momiji wondered, before pulling Tohru up the said stairs.

"_It doesn't take a genius to guess that that was either Kyo or Uotani-san…_" Yuki thought, taking two steps at a time.

When he reached the second floor, he walked to the corridor on the right and spotted Momiji poking Kyo's still form.

"Look, Yuki! Kyo fainted!" he exclaimed, poking Kyo harder.

Yuki sweatdropped and looked at Haru and Hana, "What happened?"

Haru pointed to the knife in Hana's hand and replied, "Kyo saw Hana with a knife and passed out"

Hana smiled eerily.

Yuki shivered unconsciously and murmured, "Scary…"

Tohru did a head count and asked, "Where's Setsuko?"

Kyo and Uo then chose to stir awake.

"Huh?" Kyo mumbled, rubbing his head.

Uo yawned and blinked twice, "Wha—?"

"You fainted!" Momiji offered cheerfully.

Uo raised an eyebrow, "And that's something to be happy about?"

Kyo suddenly raised his hand and pointed to the corridor behind Yuki, "G—g—ghost!"

Yuki turned around and saw a dark blue figure round the corner and turn towards them. Its hand as well as its clothes was stained with red liquid. Tohru shivered and clutched Yuki's other arm seeing as Momiji was on the other one.

Yuki squinted at the figure and said, "Setsuko?"

Setsuko waved her hand and stepped into the light, "Hey…I see Hana and Haru entered the baby's room too"

Momiji walked over to Haru and poked the red stains on his clothes. He looked at his finger curiously and licked it.

"Yum!"

"Momiji!" Tohru shouted, "Don't eat that! It might make you sick!"

Momiji grinned and sucked on his finger more, "It tastes good"

Setsuko rolled her eyes, "Don't worry, Tohru. It's strawberry syrup"

Uo swiped at dollop of the syrup from Hana's uniform and placed it in her mouth, "Momiji's right. It does taste good"

"Gross" Kyo commented, standing up and brushing himself off.

Uo smirked at him, "So where's the ghost now, Carrot top?"

Kyo burned bright red and crossed his arms, "Shut your trap, Yankee"

Uo laughed and continued to eat more of the syrup.

Setsuko snorted and said, "If you get constipated don't come complaining to us"

Uo rolled her eyes and continued eating.

Kyo turned to Yuki and Tohru suspiciously and asked, "Where did you guys go exactly?"

Uo snickered behind her hand and mumbled, "They probably found a closet to make out in"

Yuki turned red, "Uotani-san!"

Tohru turned the same shade as Yuki and exclaimed, "Uo! That's not true!"

Setsuko looked at them and commented, "No hickies in sight"

The two burned a shade deeper.

"Oh don't worry!" Uo said, "You're way too innocent to even fathom to do that"

Hana smiled at Tohru, "Tohru-chan looks really pretty when she blushes"

Momiji stuck his thumb out and shouted, "That's right!"

Kyo edged away from Tohru's "fans" and murmured, "Creepy…"

Setsuko's eyebrow went up once more, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you guys were obsessive stalkers"

Uo wiped her syrupy hand on a random wall and declared, "They _are _stalkers"

Momiji's smile suddenly dropped and his eyes filled with tears, "But…but…I'm not a stalker! I'm not! Right, Yuki?"

Yuki sighed, "No you're not, Momiji"

Kyo crossed his arms in annoyance and stared pointedly at Uo, "Now look what you did"

Uo glared at the cat and pet Momiji's head, "It's okay, kid. I was kidding"

Momiji quickly wiped his tears and grinned, "Okay! Let's go into that room!"

"That was fast," Uo whispered to herself.

Yuki noted the absence of a particular cow and asked, "Where did Haru go?"

"Looking for your boyfriend?" Kyo asked innocently.

Yuki ignored him and looked around, "Saki-san is missing too"

A vein throbbed.

"Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you, idiot!"

Yuki glared coolly at him, "I wouldn't want to waste my time listening to the stupid things you say, now would I?"

"Guys—" Tohru started.

"Stop fighting before Tohru gets a coronary" Setsuko snapped.

Tohru blushed.

Uo snickered, "Yeah. Hana might just decide to castrate you"

Momiji tugged on Uo's skirt and asked, "What does 'castrate' mean, Uo-chan?"

Uo opened her mouth but Setsuko slapped a hand on it first, "Don't you dare, Uo"

"Yeah, yeah" Uo mumbled through her fingers.

Setsuko withdrew her hand slowly before letting it drop to her side.

"Now where to?" Uo asked Momiji.

Momiji pulled her down the corridor to the left while Tohru ran after them.

"Don't pull her too hard, Momiji!"

Setsuko rubbed her head tiredly, "I wonder how you put up with them"

Hana and Haru both smiled identical evil smiles in a dark room. The only sources of light were a candle on a nearby table and a television screen flickering behind them. It was a very frightening sight. The two were in front of a small control panel where random buttons and levers were placed.

"I wonder what this button does…" Hana said, reaching out to push a button.

As the red light on top of the button lit up, several screams echoed through out the house.

Their grins got bigger.

Kyo turned around sharply and grasped Setsuko's upper arm.

"What was that?"

"Stop squeezing my arm, Kyo. Let go of it or I will chop your hand off," Setsuko said monotonously.

Kyo blushed and let her go, "What was that sound? It sound so…terrifying"

Yuki blinked and stated simply, "It's a Haunted House. It's supposed to be scary"

Momiji shivered and held onto Yuki's hand tighter.

Uo looked into a random room and closed the door quickly. Her face was deathly pale.

"When the heck are we getting out of here?"

Tohru made a move to open the door that Uo just opened but she stopped her.

"Don't, Tohru"

"Uh…okay…" Tohru murmured and withdrew her hand, "What was in that room, Uo?"

"Something scary" Uo replied.

Setsuko peeked into the room and snickered, "That was cool"

Uo made a face and remembered the sight of the life-like mannequin of a woman nailed to the wall and castrated.

"And to think I was just thinking of castrating a minute ago…"

Kyo marched up to the room in a very 'manly' way and went inside. Four minutes later he walked out, pale faced with a tinge of green.

He turned to Setsuko, "You think that's cool? I can't believe you"

"It's only cool because it's not real"

"Uh-huh" Kyo muttered, walking away and turned into a corner.

_With Hana and Haru…_

"I wonder what this lever does…" Haru said, pulling the lever down.

Hana smiled and stared at the TV screen.

_Back with Kyo…_

He screamed and a thump was heard.

Uo ran around the corner but she too screamed, followed by a thump. Tohru followed.

"Uo! Are you al— AAAH!!!"

Then Yuki ran after her. And fell. Setsuko walked calmly around the corner and looked down. There was a small trapdoor on the floor. She squinted and saw the others lying on the floor. She sighed.

"I'll go get—"

Momiji started running towards her, "Hey Setsuko! Are they o—?"

"—SHIT."

_Thump._

"Great. Just great" Setsuko muttered, getting up and brushing dust off her clothes.

Tohru looked at the dusty ground and whispered, "Are those…cockroaches?"

She went silent then…

"Kyaaaaaaa!!!"

Kyo stepped around the roaches and said, "They're just roaches"

Momiji pointed behind him, "Kyo…"

"What is it, brat?"

"GHOST!!!"

Kyo saw a hand _from the wall _grab his shoulder. He turned around and saw a headless nun coming out of the wall.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"

The five of them ran as fast as they could out of that room and stopped to catch their breath.

"What…the…hell…" Kyo panted.

Uo and Setsuko shook their heads, "Such a scaredy cat"

Yuki took a deep breath and said, "He resents that"

"Why you—!"

"Can't you both shut up?" Setsuko asked.

Kyo closed his mouth and glared at her. Uo coughed and said something that oddly sounded like 'ass-whipped'. Kyo glared even more. He didn't know what to be angry at, Setsuko or the fact that he feels a compulsion to do whatever she says. Like the feeling he and Yuki get when they're around Tohru.

"_The only difference is that Tohru gets us to do things for her because she's so nice. Setsuko gets us to do things because she's scary…_" Kyo thought, annoyed.

_Poke._

"What the—?"

Kyo brushed Momiji's hand away, "What do you think you're doing?"

Momiji suddenly laughed and clapped his hands, "Uo-chan was right! You get this wrinkle in between your eyebrows when you're annoyed!"

Kyo's eyebrow twitched.

"Uo-chan said that you'd do that too!" Momiji added happily, "Is Uo-chan psychic? I thought Hana-chan was psychic"

Uo rubbed the top of the rabbit's head affectionately and said "You'll learn to observe people when you're around people like Hana and Setsuko"

Setsuko rolled her eyes.

Tohru coughed a little and asked quietly, "Can we please leave now? It's getting really, really, _really _scary"

Yuki smiled a little but grimaced when he felt the numbness in his right arm, "_Yeah. She's cutting off the circulation in my arm_"

"Which way do we go?" Tohru asked them.

They all looked at the eleven or so corridors around and sweatdropped.

"_Damnit_"

"Haru?"

Haru turned to look at the psychic, "Yes?"

Hana placed her hand lightly on top of a yellow button, "Let's press the yellow and blue button simultaneously and see what happens"

Haru set his hand beside the yellow button, "Okay"

The buttons sank slightly into the control panel before rising up again. Both of the buttons were now a vivid green. The light bulb in between them suddenly flashed red. The screen flickered to life.

_Creak. Creak. Drag. Drag._

Hana and Haru turned around and smiled.

"Have you guys found the exit yet?" Uo asked, looking around.

Tohru spotted something to her left and saw a door with the sign 'Exit' above it.

"Look, guys! It's the exit!"

"Good eye, Tohru" Yuki commented, smiling at her.

Tohru blushed and looked away, "Erm…thanks, Yuki"

Kyo looked suspiciously at the door and said, "How do we know that that door isn't just another trick?"

Momiji nodded vigorously, "Yeah! It might have those freaky doll like thingies again!"

Setsuko strode up to the door and pulled it open. There was pitch-black corridor inside…or was it a room? Either way, only a small speck of light at the end showed any indication that there was an exit inside.

"Shall we?"

They all edged away from the dark room.

"Setsuko…I really think that that's not a very good idea…" Yuki muttered uncertainly.

"It's looks…scary" Tohru mumbled, shivering.

Momiji looked into the room, "Is there a ghost inside, Sei-chan?"

Setsuko's eyebrow twitched once more at the nickname but, as usual, she said nothing.

"Just make up your mind!" Uo exclaimed, "We go or we don't. Pick one"

Kyo was about to say something when they heard something very faint from behind them. They froze.

_Creak. Creak. Drag. Drag. The sound of a door creaking open…albeit a bit hollowed. Like from someone's throat._

"Do you guys remember the Grudge?" Setsuko asked nonchalantly.

The four in front of her nodded.

"It's behind you"

They all turned around and saw the girl from the Grudge crawling on the floor behind them. All the doors in the corridor suddenly opened and revealed the same faces as that of Sadako.

Setsuko held door open and asked sarcastically, "_Now,_ shall we?"

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"

_Whoosh. Whoosh. Slam._

"I am NEVER going back inside a Haunted House" Uo said, lying flat on the ground.

Tohru shuffled her feet nervously and apologized softly, "I'm sorry…I didn't know it would be this scary…"

Momiji suddenly came up from behind her and announced loudly, "It's okay, Tohru-chan! I had LOTS and LOTS of fun!"

Tohru suddenly beamed and joined hands with energetic blonde, "Really, Momiji?"

Momiji spun her around and said, "I wanna go again!"

"NO!" Kyo, Yuki and Uo said at the same time.

Setsuko sighed and slammed her head onto a nearby post, "Kill me now…"

"Did you guys have fun?"

Setsuko looked up and saw Haru standing beside Hana.

"Where were you?" Kyo asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

Hana and Haru smiled identical smiles.

Lighting and thunder danced somewhere.

"Having fun"

PS: Hello folks. School just started and I'm _starting _to get my writing mojo back. I have no idea why it even went away in the first place. scratches head ANYWHO, I've just realized that this is the last humor chapter I'm writing. Heck, this is the last normal chapter I'll be writing. The next to chapters will be my Two-Part Ending, excluding the Epilogue.

Since it's that part of the story again, I hope you guys become really patient with me in waiting. The types of ending I'm currently thinking off are really hard to…write? Think up? In other words, it takes a lot of work. SO, please bear with me. I know I'm not the speediest of writers but at least I _try_ to update regularly.

So guys, pray hard and REVIEW hard. (I put more emphasize on the review though) And then _**maybe **_I'll update sooner. I'm not making any promises.

Ja ne!

-SaMiE- ("Sadist Extraordinaire")


	22. The End, Part I: New Years Banquet

A/N: Hello guys! Can you believe I finished three-fourths of this in the hour that I was listening the Linkin' Park's Minutes to Midnight. I love those guys. They rock. Anyway, I won't keep you. Here is the half of my two-part ending. Read up!

_**Chapter 22: The End: New Years Banquet**_

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

_Tick. Tick. Tick._

_Sigh._

_Tick. Tick. Tick._

_Grumble._

_Tick. Tick. Tick._

_Twitch._

"WHAT THE HELL IS IT WITH THIS SILENCE???" Kyo shouted, "It's driving me nuts!"

Yuki raised his eyebrow uninterestedly then dropped his head back onto his hand. He stared out the window and saw Tohru hanging up clothes while smiling. Yuki felt the urge to smile too and gave in.

Shigure snickered and whispered, "Don't bother Kyonkichi. He's too busy staring at pretty little Tohru"

Yuki heard what he said and turned red before briefly looking away, "Shut up, Shigure"

Kyo rolled his eyes and grumbled once more.

Shigure's eyebrows went up, "My, my, Kyo. No jealous outbursts this time? Not even a 'Why the hell are you asking me?' glare? Nothing?"

"Why would I be jealous??" Kyo protested hotly.

A sly grin suddenly washed over Shigure's face.

"Now what?" Kyo asked, clearly irritated.

Shigure grinned even more, "Maybe because a certain orange cat has found a new girl to be infatuated by? Who is it, Kyon-chan? Arisa-chan perhaps?"

_Twitch._

"Or maybe it's Saki-chan?"

_Shiver._

Shigure put his paper and down and said seriously, "Or is it Sei-chan?"

_Blush._

Kyo imagined a thousand different ways to castrate Shigure and glared at him.

"Ooooooh! Kyon-chan _is _in love with Sei-chan!" Shigure shouted, "Kyon-kyon is growing up!"

"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID ANNOYING PERVERT!!!"

Shigure picked up his paper again and said, "Don't forget to use protec—"

_Smash!_

Yuki and Kyo sat back down.

"You are disgusting" Yuki said, continuing to stare out the window.

Kyo shuddered, "I'm glad we're far, _far _cousins"

Setsuko walked into the living room and commented, "You're still related though. And the three of you still have stuff in common"

"I find that hard to believe" Yuki replied dryly.

Shigure pouted, "You're turning into such a mean person, Yuki-kun"

"As I was saying, all three of you are stubborn, like to annoy each other and have this big brother complex when it comes to Tohru"

"You can't deny that!" Shigure said triumphantly.

"Damnit" Kyo cursed, "Of all the people to be related to, it just had to be a perverted writer like him"

"Que Sera Sera, Kyonkichi"

"That's just the way things work" Setsuko murmured, walking into the kitchen and coming back downing a can of cold coffee.

Haru followed downing a carton of milk.

Kyo twitched, "Haru, if you're cow why are you drinking milk? Isn't that…cannibalism or something?"

Haru burped and crushed the carton, "I'm the exception that proves the rule"

Yuki stared at him and asked, "How many cartons have you drank?"

Haru threw the carton-ball into a trash bin and replied, "Twenty-three"

_Ring. Ring._

Shigure suddenly bounded up with joy and exclaimed, "That must be Aki-chan!"

Yuki twitched, "Aki-chan?"

Kyo blanched, "Is that another call from one of your pen pals?"

Setsuko took gulp from her caffeine-infested drink, "That seems to fit his M.O."

Haru sat down on a random chair and stated, "Actually, he's talking to Akito-sama"

Setsuko choked on her coffee. Kyo fell of a chair. Yuki felt his bronchial tubes constricting.

"Disturbing, isn't he?" Haru added, fixing a skull ring on his finger.

Setsuko turned green and chucked her can of coffee into a trash bin, "This goes way past the point of disturbing. It's almost unbearable"

"Haru has once again added another image to my ever growing list of nightmares," Kyo said flatly.

"I would completely thank you for making Kyo's life more miserable than it is now but this little…revelation will keep me up for the rest of the month" Yuki replied in the same flat tone as Kyo's.

Haru was then suddenly down on one knee and grasping Yuki's hand, "I apologize, my dear Yuki"

Yuki drew his hand back slowly "Its fine, Haru" "_I'm pretending that this never happened_"

"Why don't you save your lovey-dovey ness for later? We still don't know why the hell Akito is calling"

Yuki twitched "Why don't you go ask Shigure yourself, stupid cat,"

"Would _you_ like to ask him—"

Shigure burst into the room with a happy smile on his face.

"I just received the most wonderful news!"

Tohru walked inside and saw Shigure jumping up from joy, "Why are you so happy, Shigure-san?"

Shigure smiled and draped two arms over Kyo and Yuki, "Aki-chan just invited all of us to the New Year's banquet!"

Kyo and Yuki became deathly silent.

"When are you leaving?" Setsuko and Tohru asked in unison.

Shigure grinned, "Akito invited both of you too! Isn't that wonderful?"

Setsuko headed up to her room and said, "Tell _Aki-chan _to stick his invitation up his ass because I'm not going"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Setsuko. Akito might get angry" Haru said, "He was very angry when Kyo and Yuki didn't attend two years ago"

Tohru looked at Shigure and asked uncertainly, "Are you sure he invited me too, Shigure-san? I wouldn't want to intrude…"

Shigure leaped over Kyo and Yuki's heads and clutched both of Tohru's hands; much like Haru did with Yuki.

"You would never intrude, Tohru-kun! And besides, Aya and Hatori are probably dying to see you!"

Tohru smiled and nodded, "Okay. If you say so, Shigure-san"

Setsuko sweatdropped, "_Why does Tohru keep on falling for that?_"

Shigure stared at Setsuko out of the corner of his eye and said to Tohru, "Tohru, dear, would you please reason with Sei-chan over here? Everyone would miss her terribly if she wasn't able to come"

Setsuko glared at Shigure, "_One of these days I will lose my control and stick you to the wall by spearing your torso_"

Haru smiled at Setsuko's expression and said, "Be careful, Shii-chan. Setsuko's giving you her evil stare"

"And what _is _her evil stare?" Yuki asked absently.

"It's when I plot its recipient's deaths in a very detailed and gruesome manner"

"…and?" Kyo asked.

"_Shigure-chan_ just died in 74 different ways in my head"

"Damn" Kyo mumbled, "I think I'll go out for a walk"

"And that was just under two minutes" Haru chimed in.

Yuki sighed, "I think I'll go with Kyo on that walk"

The rat and cat walked out of the house, in fear of Setsuko's wrath and their own safety. Screw Shigure. He started it.

Tohru smiled at them and thought, "_At least they're getting along_"

"Oh Shigure…" Setsuko sang softly.

Shigure trembled slightly and paled.

Tohru sweat dropped, "_But I think I have to pray a lot harder for Setsuko and Shigure-san to get along_"

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

"I can't believe that I'm actually here" Setsuko grumbled, "I haven't been back to the Main House in over three years"

"Ditto" Kyo and Yuki mumbled.

They glared at each other.

"I've forgotten how big this place really was" Shigure said, patting one of the wooden walls.

All of them were situated in the same house as the Banquet Hall and where all their rooms were. It was by far the biggest house in the whole Sohma Estate and it was where Akito lived. Actually, this house was so big that the chances of them running into Akito's room were pretty slim.

"Shigure!"

Shigure turned around and saw a silver haired man run towards him.

When Ayame reached him, he grasped the snake's hands and said, "I've missed you, Aya"

"As have I, Shii-chan"

"Yes!" the two of them said giving each other thumbs up.

Everybody sweatdropped.

Hatori coughed audibly from behind them, "Don't you ever get tired of that?"

"Nope" Ayame answered.

"Why would we?" Shigure asked then waggled his eyebrows, "Unless you're jealous, Haa-chan?"

"Forget it" Hatori said, "I don't know why I even bother"

"Well, well, if it isn't Sei-chan" Ayame greeted.

Setsuko's eyebrow twitched for the umpteenth time as she said, "Please don't call me that"

"But it suits you!" Shigure protested, "Right, Aya?"

Aya nodded vigorously and rubbed the top of Setsuko head, "A girl as beautiful as you should have a cute nickname"

"Say that again and I will incapacitate you and remove each limb from your body with a pair of tweezers"

"Setsuko, mind your language" Hatori warned, shoving his hands deep inside his coat pockets.

"Yeah, Akito might hear you" Yuki said quietly.

His eyes darted around the room and darkened. He clearly did not want to be here.

Setsuko followed his eyes and said, "Don't worry, Yuki. You're not the only one who doesn't want to be here"

The room grew silent, heavy with the truth in her words.

"Who's up for ramen?" Shigure asked happily.

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

"_Why couldn't we just have stayed at home and spent New Years there. It's not as if everyone __**wants **__to come here… There are too many bad memories_" Kyo thought absently, putting his stuff into a closet.

"I can't even enter the stupid banquet hall. Why the hell do I have to come?" Kyo muttered.

Yuki sighed and looked over his shoulder, "Because Akito wants you too"

Kyo snorted, "The only thing that sadistic bastard wants is to make me feel alienated. It happens every year and…"

"…And what?" Yuki asked.

"And I can never say anything about it"

"It's part of our curse. There's nothing we can do"

"You're right. But still…"

Yuki stared at him, "…"

"I wonder what it would feel like to be free?"

Yuki continued unpacking and replied, "Wishful thinking, Kyo. Wishful thinking"

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

"Hatori?"

The doctor turned around and looked at him, "What is it, Shigure?"

Shigure stepped into the dimly lit room and squinted, "Why is it so dark in here?"

Hatori placed his papers in an envelope and on the desk.

"What do you want?"

"Is it against Akito's wishes to visit you now?"

Hatori sighed and sat down, "Stop playing games, Shigure. What's wrong?"

Shigure sat in front of him and asked, "I just wanted to know the reason why Akito suddenly invited Tohru _and _Setsuko here"

Hatori brought his fingers together in his lap, "Why are you asking me?"

Shigure shrugged, "He didn't tell you?"

Hatori shook his head, "I didn't even know they were coming up until the moment you arrived"

"I'm worried that he may be planning something"

Hatori raised an eyebrow, "Worried that he's planning something or worried that his plan might interfere with yours?"

"Both"

Shigure stood up to leave.

"Be careful, Shigure. Your plans always end up being a double-edged knife. Remember the last time…"

"I know, Hatori, I know"

Hatori sighed, "Don't forget to visit Aya. It's his year and he needs help getting prepared"

"Okay. See you, Haa-chan"

"Goodbye, Shigure" "_I hope this plan of yours ends well_"

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

"Tohru-kun, do you know whose turn it is to dance this year?" Haru asked.

Tohru smiled and thought for a moment, "Let's see…two years ago it was Momiji…so…it's the snake's turn right? Ayame's going to dance this year?"

Haru nodded and looked ahead, "Since I was not able to see Yuki dance a few years ago, this is the closest I get to see him dance"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Ayame looks exactly like Yuki so it wouldn't be hard to imagine that it was Yuki who was dancing"

"You really care for Yuki, don't you?"

"Yeah. I may even love him. But it's a different kind of love. I feel the need to protect him because of all the animosity between us when we were kids"

"So it's like a way to make for what happened before?"

Haru nodded, "I know he's forgiven me for that but I just, well, _want _to care for him"

"That's very beautiful, Haru-kun"

Haru stared at her very seriously and said, "But you know Tohru, the way you and Yuki care for each other is very different"

Tohru blushed, "I don't think I quite get it"

"You love him, Tohru. And I know he feels the same way. Don't let him go. He's had a bad past and I think you're the one person who can bring the sunshine into his life in a way that I never could"

Tohru's eyes brimmed with tears.

"That's what I feel so sad about, Haru-kun. Every time I think of all the sufferings Yuki went through I don't know if I'm enough to help him. I…I find it so frustrating that he tries to smile the best he can for me and I can't do anything to help him… It makes me feel so worthless"

Haru brushed Tohru's hair back, "Tohru… You don't have to do anything. Just keep on smiling for Yuki and everything will get better. You help him in the little things you do. You don't even have to try. Just be yourself"

Tohru laughed a bit and wiped her tears, "You're such a nice person, Haru-kun. I can't imagine what Yuki would've been like if you hadn't made up with him"

Haru smiled, a real smile this time.

"_No, Tohru, __**I **__can't imagine what Yuki would be like if he had never met you. You change him in ways I never thought possible_"

Tohru sniffed and smiled brightly, "Thank you, Haru-kun"

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

Ayame felt a brush go through his hair and leaned in to the warmth behind him.

"Don't lean into me, Aya. I can't brush your hair if you do"

Aya smiled and leaned forward, "Sorry, Gure"

"It's okay. Just stay still" Shigure replied.

The brush passed through the silver locks again, albeit gentler.

"Shigure?"

"What is it, Aya?"

Ayame sighed and his shoulders slumped a bit, "Is Yuki going to be okay?"

"Of course he is. He's not sick as far as I know"

"It's not that. I'm afraid that his lungs can't take the pressure having to stay here again. Last New Years he nearly went into Cardiac Arrest when Akito joked about putting him back inside that _horrid _room"

"That won't happen again, Aya" "_But I'm not really sure…Akito's mind works in ways we can never imagine_"

"I don't know if I can take it if he gets another attack. I almost passed out last time"

Shigure stopped brushing Ayame's hair and placed the brush on the vanity in front of them. Shigure envelope Ayame in a hug smelled his hair. Just like mint and musk.

"Don't worry, Aya. Everything's going to be okay"

Ayame closed his eyes and leaned into Shigure's chest.

"I hope you're right, Gure"

"_I hope so too_"

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

Setsuko rubbed her right arm and sighed, "Why the hell are you hurting?"

Her arm throbbed even more.

"Something bad is going to happen, isn't it?"

Setsuko rubbed it one last time and pulled the sleeve of her sweater over it. Akito had ordered one of the maids to put her in her old room, the one that was next to Yuki's. She hated this place. The walls screamed pain and blood that had seeped into the rings and could not be seen from the surface. Setsuko stood up from her bed and looked at the wall behind it.

There were small lines, counting days and weeks.

Setsuko smiled.

She had made these lines with a small pen, counting the days left to her fourteenth birthday when Akito promised to send her away to live somewhere far. He said that he never wanted to see her again after she left. Yet he kept on visiting her and here she was now. Back to where she started.

Setsuko frowned.

The door creaked open. It was Hatori.

"It's time for the Ball, Setsuko"

Setsuko released the breath she was holding and headed out the door.

"_I wish everything goes well_"

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

There was soft music being played in the background and quiet chatter scattered across the huge room with the low ceiling. Everyone was there except for Kyo who had been asked to stay in the room adjoining the Banquet Hall. Like always. Setsuko was seated on a chair that was beside Akito's. Setsuko remembered sitting there when she was still young, flinching whenever Akito touched her.

That didn't change either.

"You look beautiful tonight, my Raven" Akito whispered in her ear, running a pale finger down her face.

Setsuko shivered and replied, "Thank you, Akito-sama"

"It's nice to know that you've kept your manners"

"_Only because Hatori told me to, bastard_"

Akito smiled eerily, "I hope you like that show I will put up for you"

He stood up regally and clapped his hands quietly. The room quieted down.

"Good evening my dear Zodiac. Tonight we celebrate this New Year, the year of the Snake"

Soft claps sounded throughout the room.

"And now here is Ayame to present us with this Year's Dance"

Music started playing and Ayame came in wearing his traditional purple and blue costume. He looked very beautiful. Tohru, who was also in the room, noted how much like Yuki he looked like, more so tonight.

Ayame began a graceful dance in the center of the room, in Akito's direct line of vision. Akito's eerie smiled widened.

He walked towards Yuki, who was standing near them, attempting not to run out of the room in this very moment.

"Hello, Yuki" Akito greeted.

Yuki's hand around the cup he was holding tightened, "Good evening, Akito-sama"

Akito smiled and stood behind him.

He whispered quietly in Yuki's ear, "I hear from Shigure that you've been very outgoing with members of the opposite sex now, Yuki. Is it because of that ugly Tohru girl? You know that she can't help you, right?"

Haru's eyes darkened in worry as he watched Akito whisper in Yuki's ear.

"Maybe I'll have to punish her instead of you? She's corrupting my precious, _pure _Yuki"

Yuki trembled a bit, "You wouldn't dare"

Akito's hand grasped his arm a bit too tightly, "Are you threatening me, Yuki? Maybe I really should lock her up in _your _special room. I always keep it clean you know. For times like this, that is"

Yuki's breathing hitched and he felt his chest tightening. He felt woozy.

"I'd do that, Yuki. You're not learning. I told you the last we met that if you don't be good boy I'll punish you. I'll do it, Yuki"

Yuki began feeling light headed and the edges of his vision began turning white then black.

"A…ki…to…I..can't…" Yuki gasped.

Yuki began to crumple to the ground and Akito let him go. The music had stopped playing and Ayame was standing in the middle of the room, deathly pale. Yuki was now trying to stay conscious.

"Yuki!" Ayame shouted.

Haru looked for Hatori, "Hatori! Yuki's having another attack!"

Hatori dropped the glass he was holding and ran towards the prone boy.

"Yuki-kun! What's happening?" Tohru exclaimed, running after Hatori.

"Stay back!" Akito shouted.

"Akito…" Hatori said, "He's…"

Akito glared at him, "I order you to stay back, Hatori. You will not disobey me. None of you will"

Yuki was now breathing harshly. His face was contorted in pain. Kyo had now come out of the room and was looking worriedly at Tohru who was beginning to hyperventilate.

"What the…?"

"Fuji" Akito snapped loudly.

The door behind him and Yuki opened without a sound and a familiar brunette entered the room. Setsuko's mouth dropped open and pushed her way through the other members of the Zodiac to stand in front of him.

"Fuji? What the hell are you doing here?"

Fuji reached up and rubbed Setsuko's cheek, "I'm sorry, Setsuko. I have to"

"Have to what?" Setsuko asked, "_What in the world is he talking about?_"

Fuji's hand wandered down and he pulled the necklace from her neck.

"What do you think you're doing??" Setsuko cried, reaching for the necklace.

Fuji clutched it tightly in his fist, "I can't let them change you, Sei-chan. You have to be the same…everything is going to break if you don't"

"I don't…"

Setsuko, however, was cut short by Ayame shouting louder than before.

"YUKI!!!"

Setsuko looked over at herself and saw that she was wearing the black dress again. The lines on her arm were growing red and she felt a sharp pain emit from her back. She felt to her knees.

"Stupid…Fuji…"

Her eyes wandered over to Yuki and turned red.

"_Shit! This is not supposed to happen!_"

Setsuko balled her hands.

Yuki's chest stopped moving.

Ayame fainted.

"Yuki!!!" Tohru shouted.

xxxFruitsBasketFurubaxxx

PS: I'm a bitch aren't I? Hehe… I just love cliffies. I keep on getting them whenever I read a good story so here you go (I hope that my story counts as a good one). Is it any good? I'm quite fond of this story. And do so love to torture you guys.

And before I forget, I need all my readers to vote whether or not they would want a tragedy or a happy ending. I'm leaning more on the tragedy but that may change if you guys review a lot and vote a lot. Please do so! My inspiration strikes me at the oddest of times to vote hard!

Ja ne!

-SaMiE- "Sadist Extraordinaire"


	23. The End, Part II: My Worth

_A/N – August 15, 2007 : Oh my freaking God! It's The End! Kyaaaaa!_

_This chapter is entitled: __Chapter 23: My Worth__. Read on!_

_**Fruits Basket**_

"_What's happening? I feel like I'm submerged underwater or something…_"

"Open your eyes, Yuki."

Yuki opened one bleary eye and watched the world come back into focus. He sat up winced when he felt a constricting pain in his chest.

"Where is everyone? Why do I feel like my chest is about to explode?"

He heard a dry chuckle.

"That's to be expected seeing as you died from an asthma attack."

Yuki's eyes widened in shock and all the color, not that there was any left, drained from his face.

"Died…? I can't be…" Yuki mumbled, backing away slowly.

"Dead?" the voice replied, "But you are, Yuki. Look behind you."

Yuki turned around and saw that half of the banquet hall had regained its color and that the people in it were frozen. Like they were in a VCR and someone pressed pause.

He saw himself on the floor in Akito's lap with all the other members of the Zodiac around him. Tohru and Ayame were kneeling in front of his motionless body, tears streaming down their faces.

Yuki's eyes wandered over the other half of the room and asked, "Where's Setsuko?"

"Right here."

Yuki turned back to the colorless half of the banquet hall and gasped.

"Set...suko?"

Setsuko emerged from the dark shadows of the wall, black leathery wings erupting from her back. Her pale skin was a deathly white, blue veins clearly showing on the skin. Her nails had grown longer and oddly resembled a raven's claws. Actually, the reason for Yuki's gasp was her eyes. They were completely black with only a golden ring in the middle to show that she had a cornea. Ethereal and scary, like those witches in princess movies.

"That bad, huh?" Setsuko murmured humorlessly.

"What…are you?"

Setsuko spied a quick glance on the mirror to her left and snorted.

"I guess I do look scary. Not as scary as Hatori is when he's pissed though."

Yuki remained silent, at a loss for words.

Setsuko stopped a few feet in front of the teen and said plainly.

"You're dead. I'm the Death Angel who's supposed to bring you to heaven or hell. Whatever fits your fancy."

"Why am I dead?"

Setsuko sighed, "Akito was a stupid fuck and made you have an asthma attack. He wouldn't let Hatori near you and well, you get the picture."

Yuki leaned against a nearby wall and looked up towards the ceiling.

"That's a stupid way to die"

Setsuko smiled forlornly, "Yes it is"

Yuki looked at her and asked, "What are you really?"

"I told you. I'm the Death Angel. Whenever a Sohma dies, I'm the one who brings them to their eternal resting place"

Yuki went silent for a while.

"So that means you saw my father after he died"

"Yes. He said something about not being able to be there for you and that he wishes he could have been a better father."

Yuki smiled.

"What happens now? You open up a portal or something?"

"Not quite. That's what I normally do but…with members of the Zodiac, it's a bit different."

"What do you mean?"

"When a Zodiac member dies, there's some sort of ceremony to send them off into the Afterlife"

"They're going to see me die?"

"Well, technically you're already dead but yes. That's about it."

"I don't want to die." Yuki said bluntly.

Setsuko laughed but the laugh never reached her eyes.

"Who does, Yuki? Humans are so selfish that if given the chance, they would live for all eternity."

Yuki resisted the urge to fall to his knees and asked, "How can you be so cold? We're your family. We're your _friends_."

Setsuko sighed loudly, "Really. All you Sohmas are such drama queens. Besides, I don't think you'll like the answer I can give you."

Yuki stared at her defiantly, "I'm about to lose everything. The least you can do is answer my question."

Setsuko paused and remembered something the previous Death Angel told her. He had said that a person he was about to kill asked why he was acting so indifferent…so detached. There was only one thing he could answer.

Setsuko felt her eyes glaze over.

"After the ten or so people you learn to be a bitch. After twenty you just stop caring all together."

"Why?"

Setsuko smiled at him, "So it doesn't hurt as much anymore."

Yuki nodded slightly and looked over at Ayame and Tohru.

"I seriously don't want to die."

Setsuko took his hand and led him into the color.

"I know."

_**Fruits Basket**_

"_I can't kill him. Not when I know there's still a chance that he'll live. I can't. He has too much to live for. Too many tears will be shed for him. I just…can't._"

Setsuko watched Yuki walk into the other half of the hall with morbid fascination.

"_I have to save him. He can't die. He can't leave all of them behind…_"

The black and white half suddenly started regaining color.

"_If I'm going to do something, I have to think of that something now!_" Setsuko thought frantically.

"_There has to be something I can do! Something Ji-san must've told me…_"

Setsuko closed her ebony eyes and watched so many memories of the man flash before her. He taught her about being a Death Angel for a couple of years before he said that his time was up and that she had to do it alone.

"_There was so much that he taught me! There has got to be __**something**_"

There was something. Setsuko squeezed her eyes hard and tried to remember. It was like a faint memory…something that she never thought she would never think of again. She remembered laughing when the man told her about it.

"_I have to remember…for Yuki…for all of them…_"

_**Flashback**_

"_**Ji-san, you're such a kidder. For Kami's sake, you seriously think I would be **_**that **_**nice? I'm bitch enough as it is"**_

_**The man laughed, "You know, Setsuko, one day you're going to thank me. You're not as selfish as I am."**_

_**Setsuko kicked her feet into the air and lay back down on the bed, "Setsuko is, like, synonymous with selfish."**_

_**He looked off into the distance and said, "You're not. I'm selfish. I used to be. I had the chance to save someone who didn't deserve to die because **_**I **_**didn't want to die yet. I was that pathetic."**_

"_**No you weren't, Ji-san. You were smart."**_

"_**Quite the opposite. Up to this day, I can't stop thinking about it."**_

_**Setsuko shrugged, "Maybe you're just thinking too much. Look at me. I'm seven and all I care about is food and sleeping."**_

_**He stood up and smiled at her, "You'll understand one day, Sei-chan. One day you'll understand the importance of self-sacrifice."**_

_**End Flashback**_

"Self-sacrifice?" Setsuko murmured, "That means I have too…"

Her voice trailed off.

Yuki had turned to look at her face and was looking with an emptiness in his eyes, "What's wrong, Setsuko?"

Setsuko flapped the leathery wings behind her.

"Everything's fine"

Setsuko tightened the grip on his hand and asked for one last time, "Do you really want to die, Yuki?"

Yuki smiled, a very sad smile. A smile that showed all the pain he was feeling.

"Tohru needs me. So does Nii-san." He answered simply.

"_Yup… Ji-san was right. I am not, and will never be, selfish… This stupid conscience of mine will never let me live it down… Oh well… Here I go…_"

Setsuko led him further into the hall.

"That was all I needed to hear. Let's go. It's time."

Yuki looked at her questioningly but said nothing.

"_Yes.. it's time. I hope Tohru doesn't hate me_."

Setsuko smiled and whispered, "She won't Yuki. She won't need to."

_**Fruits Basket**_

"Yuki…you can't leave us…" Tohru whispered brokenly.

If it wasn't for Kyo holding her up she would've fallen to the floor.

"You bastard…" Ayame whispered.

His eyes that were once shining now looked…dead. So did Haru's.

"Dearest Yuki…" He murmured.

Akito smiled at the serene boy in his lap.

"My dear, dear Yuki…what has happened to you…?"

Hatori looked dumbfounded as he stared at Yuki's still form.

"Akito…why did you…what made you think…"

He just could form the sentences out. The shock was still beginning to settle down in his brain. The hall was completely silent, the music the background had stopped.

"It has happened," Fuji announced, "The death of a Zodiac"

Several heads bowed and dozens of tears fell. It was not unheard of that the Sohma head would cause a member of the Zodiac to die. In fact, there was an event like this happening for every generation of Zodiacs. Maybe it was a part of the curse. Who knew?

"Who shall take the spirit of this Sohma?"

Silence, then…

"I will."

Everyone turned around and saw Setsuko holding Yuki's hand.

"Set…suko…" Kyo mumbled, "What the…?"

Setsuko pulled Yuki lightly and commented, "Funny. Yuki said the same thing a while ago."

"What's going on?" Tohru asked, her voice a bit muffled from all the crying she was doing.

Ayame stood up in a smooth fluid motion and stared coldly at her.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Setsuko tilted her head slightly. "Exactly what it looks like."

"I'm not letting you take him." Ayame said firmly and tried to grab Yuki's other hand.

Yuki saw his brother's hand pass through his and bit his lip.

"Onii-san…"

"He's a spirit, Ayame. You can't touch him."

"Carry on with the ceremony."

Setsuko glared at Akito and said, "Yes, Akito-sama."

Haru touched Setsuko's shoulder lightly and asked, "Can't you do anything to stop this?"

"I can't. That's not my job. You've known that since I day I told you."

Haru dropped his hand and turned back around. He refused to look at Yuki's eyes and stared at his body instead.

"This is all so sad…" Haru murmured.

Shigure clapped Haru's back and said happily, "It could've been worse you know. Yuki could have been stabbed or mugged somewhere but, here, he died surrounded by his family."

Haru turned to look at him and snapped, "You knew, didn't you? Didn't you, Shigure?"

Shigure smiled a bit, "No I did not. I had an inkling but I wasn't part of this."

"Enough chitchat. I said on with the ceremony!" Akito shouted.

He walked back to his seat and rested his chin on his hand. The corners of his mouth were upturned in a smile.

"_He did plan this,_" Setsuko thought, "_But I am not letting you kill him, Akito. For once in my life, I'm not going to do your bidding._"

Setsuko lifted her right arm and yet another portal opened up before her. This time, it was twice the size and was growing a bright red.

"_Blood?_" Yuki thought, "_How fitting…_"

Setsuko let go of Yuki's hand for a moment and walked over to Fuji. She took her necklace from his palm.

"I'm sorry, Setsuko. I had to do it." He said quietly, "They were changing you."

Setsuko put the necklace back on and reverted to her human form.

"I'm sorry too, Fuji. But they weren't changing me in the way you think they did. Goodbye, Fuji."

Akito watched their exchange with mild interest.

"_Goodbye? What is this wretched girl thinking this time?_"

Setsuko led Yuki in front of the portal and smiled at him. One last hug wouldn't hurt for Kyo either. She turned around quickly and gave the cat a hug.

"Setsuko? What are you--?"

Setsuko let go of his neck and whispered softly, "Goodbye, KyonKyon."

Kyo looked confused. So did everybody else.

Ayame understood and kept silent. So did Hatori and Haru.

Setsuko went back to the portal and took one step forward.

"_What is she doing? She'll ruin everything!_"

Akito stood up in rage, "What do you think you're doing? Stay back from that portal you worthless girl! I _order_ you to stay back!"

Setsuko looked at him and said, "At least this once, I can be of some use. Right, Akito? So I can finally be worth something."

"_Take care, minna-san_"

Setsuko closed her eyes and entered the portal. The world went black. The portal turned a vivid blue. Yuki's spirit disappeared and his body started breathing.

A tear dropped from Kyo's chin. His fists were balled up in anger.

"YOU IDIOT!!!"

_**Fruits Basket**_

The black passage was scary. There was absolutely nothing in this place but still, it almost seemed like there was light above her. Showing her the path to an exit. It _was_ the _only _source of light anyway.

Setsuko took a deep breath and one-step towards the light.

"_That's right, Akito. You cannot scare me anymore. Because now, I'm worth more than everything you could ever be._"

_**Fruits Basket**_

_PS: Sad ending? Creepy ending? Weird ending? Either way, I'm very satisfied with this. There will be no drawn out goodbye's in this chapter. That's reserved for the Epilogue. It's going to be short one, probably a thousand or so words. Anywho, what do you think? For me, I love this ending. Especially the last line. That sort of explains this chapter's title. For the first time in her life, Setsuko felt like she was worth something. Sigh._

_Comments and Review! Send them all! I don't care! Wait! Yes I do! Review please!_

_With regards,_

_Ms. Samantha Matsuyama_

_Sadist Extraordinaire_


	24. Epilogue: Helpless No More

_A/N – August 17, 2007: Oh my God. This is the longest story I've ever written. All 53, 787 words of it. Even it may still be a bit short, it's still an accomplishment! Woohoo! Go me!_

_In this epilogue, Setsuko makes one final appearance…_

_Epilogue: Helpless No More_

_**Fruits Basket**_

It was silent, only the birds and the wind made sounds. Kyo was sitting atop the roof, laying on his back and staring up at the sky.

"_It's been 2 years… since she left._"

He sat up and looked at the backyard below him. Tohru was helping Yuki weed his garden and kept on getting mud on her face.

"Tohru…come over here." Yuki said softly.

Tohru crawled over to him and blushed as he wiped away the dirt on her chin.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Yuki smiled at her and her blush intensified. Kyo looked away and lay back again.

"_I found it so hard to believe that Setsuko was the Death Angel… I knew she was dark alright, but death itself? Even I couldn't imagine what killing off people you know and love could do to you. Maybe killing Yuki was the one thing she couldn't allow. Yuk had so much to live for…I just…don't understand why it had to be her. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to Yuki either but…_"

Kyo sighed.

"_I can never understand how that girl thinks. She was a lot more compassionate than she let on_."

_Flap, flap._

A black blur flew up from Setsuko's balcony. Kyo blinked and eyed the black raven that was perched on his chest.

"What the hell…?"

He tried to shoo the bird away but it just hopped of his chest and down to the ground. Kyo turned to his side and stared at the weird bird. It began to hop around and stared right back at him. It tilted his head and cooed.

"_It can't be possible…_"

"Setsuko…?"

Kyo reached out to pet the raven but it suddenly flew away and into the big oak tree in the yard.

"I must be hallucinating," Kyo stated.

He saw Haru plop down beside him and say, "You're not going bonkers, Kyo. You're just as sane as I am."

Kyo sweatdropped, "That does not make me feel better."

Haru stared at the raven who was staring down at Yuki and Tohru.

"You know, that bird's been coming here every year on this very same day. And it's always at Setsuko's grave when we go visit."

Kyo looked at the balcony below him and remembered jumping down into it and meeting Setsuko for the first time not more than two years ago.

"What are you implying?"

Haru shrugged and jumped down, "I'm not implying anything."

"Hey! What are you doing down there?" Kyo shouted before jumping too.

Haru was leaning forward and staring at Yuki smile at Tohru.

"She would've been happy. Seeing all this… it's all because of her."

Kyo rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Of course she would be happy. She didn't go off and sacrifice her life for nothing after all."

Haru smiled, "She did the right thing. I just never imagined that the price for doing the right thing was this high."

Kyo stared ahead, his eyes unfocused.

"Do you miss her, Kyo?"

"…yes. I just wish that it didn't end this way. That somehow she and Yuki could've both lived."

Haru nodded and replied, "But it's not the way things work."

Kyo headed over to the glass door leading to Setsuko's room and opened it.

"Kyo…?"

"I haven't entered this room in over a year. It feels the same. Like she never left…" Kyo murmured absently.

Haru followed him in and looked around, "It's warm."

"It is, isn't it?"

Kyo ran his fingers across the dust that had accumulated on the desk and was surprised when his fingers were cut on something.

"Ow."

He sucked on his finger and picked up the piece of paper on the desk. It looked like it was just written because it was the only thing on the desk that wasn't covered in dust.

_Kyo,_

_Take care of Tohru. If anything in this world is worth protecting, it's her smile. Make sure Yuki doesn't make her cry; I doubt that he'll even try._

_Since I get the feeling that Haru's going to read this over your shoulder, "Haru, you were right. I was helpless because I made myself helpless. I'm not anymore. I'm worth something now."_

_And Kyo? Thanks. Thanks for making me feel like I was worth someone to be cared for._

_Setsuko_

Kyo placed the paper back on the desk.

"She knew. She already had the feeling that something was going to happen to her. Why didn't she tell us?"

Haru sighed, "Because she knew we would try to stop her."

Kyo turned to the desk and slammed both his hands on it.

"If she told us, we could've done _something _to stop Akito from even trying to touch Yuki! Both of them could've still been here!"

Haru grabbed Kyo's shoulder and forced him to turn around. He saw tears shimmering in red irises.

"If we had interfered, Setsuko would still be cursed. She would still be inside her living hell! She's free now, Kyo. And from what I can tell, she's happy. She's happy to have done something in her life that made her feel worthy of being here. Don't look at it from another angle. Look at it from hers."

Kyo wiped his eyes hastily and headed for the door, "I'm sorry"

Haru tugged on Kyo's shirt and walked to the door.

"It's time to go."

Kyo sighed and nodded, "Is Tohru bringing the Yankee and the Psychic again?"

"Yes."

"Damn."

He walked out feeling a lot better than he's been feeling for the past months, "_That Haru really knows what to say, doesn't he?_"

Haru shut the door and saw a flicker of movement from the oak tree in direct vision of Setsuko's window. He thought he saw a certain brunette girl atop one of the tree's branches but it was gone the moment he blinked.

_Whoosh._

The raven suddenly flew off again, presumably to head over to where Kyo was heading.

Haru smiled and shut the door.

"Helpless no more indeed."

The raven landed on the balcony and briefly turned into Setsuko. She smiled before turning back into a raven and flying off.

"_**Helpless no more…**_"

_**Fruits Basket**_

_PS: Thanks to all those who reviewed every single chapter! I would also like to thank those whose reviews made me happy enough to get off my metal-blocked ass and write something! For over the two years that I have written this story, I would like to thank each and every reader who, well, read!_

_Till later readings!_

_With regards,_

_Ms. Samantha Matsuyama_

_Sadist Extraordinaire_


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